Trials
by phantomwriter05
Summary: Rerelease: Years after the events of Born to Run, John and Cameron's care free existence is cut short when Sarah and Derek are kidnapped. Old demon's resurface and old wounds open as they trek across desert and swamp to rescue them. Jameron, Sarah/Derek. Based on the story by Dennis O'Neal. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

_**Some of you right now are saying "AGAIN!" and some of you are saying "What the hell is this? Is this connected to his other stories?" the answer to that is a no. **_

_**What this is, is strictly for me … What some of you may not know is that this is one of the very first things I ever wrote for TSCC in spring of 2008. There aren't a lot of people anymore who were here in the fandom who remember what the early days were like. With the unsure understanding of where the characters were going and how fanfiction was back then while the show was running. I'm not saying this is the first story out there, but this is one of the first Jameron serials that dealt with a Post Series setting before the show was even picked up for a second season.**_

_**Now some of you are wondering why I'm going to post this, because it's not up to date, it's not to caliber of how I write now. But I want to post this, because it is the very first thing I ever wrote and it's important to me.**_

_**The Characters might not be just right, and you might find inconstancies with some things. But Remember this very first chapter was written after Season one and the rest of the story was written half way through season two. It's been mostly untouched, reedited with no add on. The Author's notes are the old ones from when this was posted, so disregard them if you want.**_

_**Welcome to the year 2008.**_

**Happy to be Stuck with You**

The rain was coming down in a torrential downpour that night, on a medium two story house outside of the city of Los Angeles. The big, fat drops slammed against a blue jeep as it made its way into the gravel driveway. Skidding to a halt, the two occupants quickly made their way to the front porch in a sprint trying to avoid being soaked in the unexpected rainstorm. Their attempts were fruitless; however, as both woman and man were sopping wet as they reached the front door.

Sarah Connor swore loudly as the wind picked up, bringing the once straight falling rain into a slant, leading the cold water right to her and her companion, Derek Reese. He tried to stifle a laugh into a snicker at Sarah's reaction to the sudden "shower" they were receiving, as he blocked the wind and rain for Sarah with his body. In Derek's opinion, the rain felt good, as where he came from clean rain water (or as clean as rain water in L.A. can get) was a blessing.

The two got into house after five minutes of fumbling with keys, then dropping them on the floor, then accidentally kicking them under the porch bench, where Sarah hit her head on the seat of the bench when she bent down to get said keys. Then, snapping the back of her head into the front of Derek's, leading to a swollen nose and five minutes of bickering. At that moment, both decided to get the keys, bumping their heads together, causing Derek to fall back and lie there until Sarah grabbed the keys and unlocked the door. She then came back to help him, only to pull too hard, which lead to him bumping his head under the bench, to which he yelled in frustration, "Stop helping me!"

As the door closed, both slumped against opposite ends of the doorway, breathing heavily in the dark house. There were a few moments of silence before a small chuckle turned into a full on laugh from Derek's side of the wall. A flash of lightning showed Derek rubbing the back of his head, laughing. "Funny Derek," he said through small, sob-like chuckles. Shaking her head, Sarah couldn't hide the huge grin on her face and gave a small half laugh, half sigh, "Jackass."

Despite Sarah's throbbing head, she and Derek's little Marx Brothers routine was just what she had needed. Since stopping Skynet, things had been a bit dull. In fact things had gotten so dull that the highlight of the last six months was that she had dyed her hair golden blond and let it grow out. The result was that it was hard to keep Derek off her, which in truth she found it telling about his personality when it came to long blond curls and his libido.

The truth was that thing had been slow for a while now since two years ago when John and Cameron took off on their own. The way they left was almost as painful as the reason they left. Though she talks to both now on the phone every couple of days, but it wasn't the same between the couple and her.

She had been finding herself spending more and more time with Derek and vice versa. She would never admit it, but she missed the old days when she had a purpose. Now she spent most days screwing around town with Derek (or screwing Derek), or listening to police scanners to beat on rapists and muggers, but it didn't bring the same closure as blasting metal or infiltrating billion dollar tech businesses, or the pleasure of listening to John's smartass comments. She even missed Cameron, who she had unofficially accepted as a daughter figure. Sometimes in the mornings she could hear the psychobabble of an argument between John and Derek about Cameron eating all the good bagels because she knew it pissed him off. The truth was she did, but would never admit it.

Now their home was an empty nest and it made her deeply sad.

Derek sensed Sarah's oncoming depression and moved quickly to stop it. "How about I make some coffee and you go change out of those clothes?"

Sarah looked as if she could cry. "Alright."

As Sarah made her way up the darkened stairs he called out, "Hey, I miss them, too."

She stopped and gave a small smile before continuing up the stairs.

Derek had been able to read her more and more, and it was no longer freaking her out nor was it awkward. Instead it brought comfort and a sense of peace to know that she had someone, even if they were not the typical romantics, per se. They love each other, and they had one another through the lonely times. That's what counted in her book.

Walking down the hall of the darkened house Sarah noticed something that iced her heart to the core.

One of the doors in the spacious four bedroom house was open. It was a door that hadn't been opened for almost two years.

It took her several minutes just to walk toward it as every fiber of her being fought not to go inside the room, but it was just something she couldn't help but do. With ginger footsteps like she was walking on egg shells she entered the empty room.

The smell of neglect and dust lingered in the air as she stood in the doorway and looked around. The room's once ocean blue walls looked black in the dark dusk of the fading day. A shelf of stuffed animals and toddler books fit to the far wall near a closed closet door. A baby changing station was present, close to the entrance where a half bag of dusty diapers sat next to a box of baby wipes which were now so dried out they looked like paper towels.

What Sarah couldn't take her eyes off of was the now off white crib under the only window of the nursery. Derek had put it there so that the little occupant could watch the stars if he wanted too other than the hanging mobile of mounted knights above the crib.

Driven by a phantom knee jerk reaction to check inside the little bed, Sarah walked toward it. With every step into the nursery dust from the unkept carpet floated up and clung to the beautiful woman's boots.

She stopped in front of the crib and looked down on the powder blue bedding that was caked with dust and a linen covered pillow stained with small marks of uncleaned pools of drool.

With a small sniffle she reached down to touch the pillow but stopped inches from the fabric as if there was an invisible wall keeping her at bay. Her hand lingered momentarily over the bassinet before she returned it back to her side.

She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily causing several of her tears to stain the miniature pillow.

With one last sniffle she walked to the end of the room no longer being able to take the reawakened pain in her heart.

She gripped the door knob and gave the room one last heartbroken look around.

"Goodnight baby …Where ever you are."

With that she closed the door.

Sarah came down the stairs several minutes later in her lounge/training clothes, but to her slight annoyance all the lights were still off in the house and it was quiet except for the rain pattering on the windows. "I'm not playing one of your training games," she called out at the pitch black, but she received no answer.

Starting a year ago Derek had decided to start sparring matches with Sarah when she least expected, trips to the bathroom excluded. This was in the hopes of breaking the dull boredom that they were feeling as well as keeping their reflexes up. "Derek, quite your shit and make the damn coffee," she said, but still had no answer.

Sighing, she made her way to the kitchen, prepared to further beat the crap out of Derek when he jumped out at her. However a flash of lighting in the living room showed Sarah an unconscious Derek in the middle of the floor. Sarah was in such a state of shock that she failed to see the man behind her, dressed in a ritualistic cloak and a skull headpiece, raising a Billy club to knock her out.

* * *

_**Austin, Texas**_

_**4 Days Later**_

The wind was biting cold that late afternoon as day laborers worked tiredly, smashing rocks and clearing the land for the new toll road that the state government was building in the capital city and outlying areas. Among the tired construction workers was a twenty five-year-old young man heaving a sledgehammer onto a block of chalky white stone.

This young man was the only person among the tired workers who was actually enjoying himself. For years John Connor had lived in an inescapable future as the leader of humanity in a genocidal war against machines that would kill every man, woman, and child of its enemy. But with that future erased, he was no longer trapped by it and with the unknown ahead of him for the first time John felt free of the inevitability of his youth. So for the last two years he had traveled the country, as well Europe, just enjoying the freedom of the road and the unknown.

The soft crunching of gravel, that was almost inaudible to all who were not trained by their mothers to fight cyborgs from the future, made a smile break out over John's face. "How's the bulldozing coming Cam?" John brought the hammer down one more time, breathing a sigh. His breath could be clearly seen in the cold air. He turned to face a beautiful, brunette in a hardhat, and despite the weather she wore only a white tank top, black fatigues and combat boots. Cameron Phillips Connor, the former cyborg assassin turned protector of John Connor, now travel companion and wife of two months, gave him a smile, knowing she couldn't sneak up on him like she used to.

Cameron Phillips Connor had been by John's side for two years now, never leaving him, going everywhere he went. She traveled half the world with him, visiting places like New York City, London, Rome and Paris. She learned just how gorgeous the world could be and treasured all the memories John and she made on those trips.

"It's time to go home, John," said Cameron in a monotone voice.

John sighed again, putting down his hammer and pulling his work gloves off. "Let's go then," he said, shoving the gloves into the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. Walking hand in hand, they moved toward the contractor's trailer. As they entered the warm and cozy space, they were greeted by a pretty, petite blond standing over a long table staring at construction plans.

"Hey Becky, Me and the Mrs. are rabbiting," John said, throwing his thumb at the door.

"Leaving me so soon, handsome?" The blond said in a thick Texas accent, batting her eyes at him. John felt Cameron's grip tighten on his hand possessively, which brought a small grin to his face.

"Well, I guess you kiddos want your pay," said Becky, going into the back room.

John turned around to face Cameron, who now had a frown of jealousy. He gave a small laugh and placed a chaste kiss on her nose, melting the disapproving frown on contact. The former Tech-Com officer had observed that Cameron had always had a hard time showing emotion, but when she was feeling love or jealousy the whole world would know it. They locked eyes for a moment, lost in each other's loving gaze, which seemed to be happening more and more since the wedding. It was in these moments that Cameron had started to realize that John had lost all of his boyish looks and had been replaced by the face of a handsome yet hardened man. Especially with his stubble and spiky hair, John looked nothing like the unsure fifteen-year-old she met in New Mexico and more like the man who mentored her in 2027.

There intimate moment, however, was cut short by Becky returning to the room counting the money out loud. "648, 649, and 650! There's your weekly pay. 650 each." Becky handed both of them their money.

Cameron began recounting the money herself while John gave a grateful smile at the contractor.

"Thanks." Not knowing what to do at the moment, John had an awkward moment staring at Becky with a stupid smile, as Becky looked him over like a piece of meat.

"You be careful, Cammy, I just might steal tall, dark and handsome from you." The older woman's words took the awkwardness John had been feeling to a brand new level as he gave a nervous laugh.

Then with all the bluntness of a shotgun Cameron answered in deadpan, "Over my dead body." John turned with a look of half fear, half shock at Cameron as she looked intensely at the blond.

There was a tense silence before the older women gave a belly laugh. "Whoo-wee, your bride's a spitfire! You know that, Grayson?"

John let out a silent sigh of relief. "It's what I love about her," said John, wrapping his arm around Cameron's waist and leading her out the door as fast as he could. "Have a good weekend, Beck," John called out as the trailer door closed.

Both John and Cameron stood outside of the trailer in silence. Cameron looked suddenly guilty for her lack of restraint, but there was just something about blonds and John that made her malfunction. The girl fully expected to get a lecture from John about humor and sarcasm, but instead she got an amused wolfish grin. "I should start warning people about your temper," said John, giving Cameron a playful push.

"I'm sorry, John. I didn't mean to make trouble," The machine apologized with a disappointed face.

"Trouble? That wasn't trouble, Angel. Trouble was in Paris when you insulted that owner by listing the health code violations that her five-star restaurant was breaking, Trouble was calling mom from Amsterdam to ask her if I could use her as a reference so I could apply for a blowjob. Thanks for that, by the way" John said sarcastically.

He sighed hopelessly at his wife and her innocent eyes as he removed her hard hat and putting an arm around her shoulders, he led them to their motorcycle.

When they reached the motorcycle, John grabbed both their jackets resting on the seat. "Here's Wooby," John smiled, handing Cameron her prized purple leather jacket. Cameron took her jacket, and gave a blank look that told him that she was not amused.

Cameron never use to understand why John named her jacket Wooby, like a small child's stuffed animal, but then he explained that it was like her security blanket. To which she said this was false, because he was her security blanket. Cameron also stated that John had the same strange attachment to his weathered brown leather jacket, which was given to him by Sarah who had worn it the first time Cameron met her in 1999. John also addressed this as symbol of his mentor and teaching, sort of like how martial arts students would wear the symbol of their former masters.

John and Cameron put on their jackets and mounted the bike. "How about after a shower and a change we spend some of this cashy money on somewhere with a view for dinner?" John said, looking back at Cameron who was putting on some goggles that made her look to cute for words.

"That sounds lovely," said Cameron, kissing John on the cheek. John started up the motorcycle and put on his helmet, closing his visor he drove into the Texas evening.

* * *

After a detour through downtown Austin to get a feel of the night life and to see the cities recently put up Christmas decorations, they finally reached their apartment by the Colorado River. After three flights of steps, both came to their front door and found an envelope jammed into the crack of the doorway. Cameron pulled it out and examined it before John took it. "Advertisements," he said, annoyed.

It amazed John the amount of door-to-door salesmen and Mormons that came by at all hours of the day. Cameron unlocked the door and they entered the one bedroom apartment. It was small but cozy, with a small kitchen, a bar and a dining area, all of which were connected to the living room. John threw the envelope on the dining room table then plopped down on the couch. Cameron said she would take the first shower and disappeared into their bedroom.

John slumped on the couch, falling in and out of consciousness waiting for Cameron to finish. Suddenly he got an idea to join her. A maniacal grin spread across his face as he started his approach to their bedroom, but just as he got to the dining room he heard the squeak of the water faucet and the water stop. "Damn," he swore quietly.

Standing in the middle of the dining area John saw the envelope lying on the table. He sighed heavily. Defeated, he grabbed the envelope. "Do you have what it takes to get to heaven," John remarked to himself in a stupid advertisement voice as he began opening the flap.

John's face went from blank and unanimated to frozen in shock as he pulled out a picture of his mother and Uncle tied up in their underwear, most likely as a form of humiliation for his benefit. Both where on the floor with a jagged knife to Sarah's taut stomach, a small piece of paper was attached by paperclip to the photo that read,

SAVE THEM CONNOR, IF YOU CAN!

John's face went from shock to one of pure anger.

"So they know who you are, general," a deep voice called from the entrance to the apartment.

Two dark figures stood at the door inside the apartment.

* * *

**Author's Notes.**

_**The chapter is named after the Huey Lewis Song - Stuck with you. I thought that it was the perfect fit for both Sarah/Derek and John/Cameron as both couples have accepted that they are stuck with one another. **_

_**The sparring game came from watching the pink panther movie Shot in the Dark, Were Cluesso's butler Kato attacks him when he least expects it. So I thought it would be a fun game that both of them would do in there infinite spare time.**_

_**If you liked it review please... **_


	2. Strike One

_**I actually forgot about this ... But you'll find that this chapter is actually two chapter's from the orignal story combined together. Here's an interesting bit of triva you might not know about (Or really care ... but I'll tell ya anyway.) This first section was written after "Mr. Fergouson is ill today" which was a chapter called Allies ... but I actually didn't pick up the story again till after "Born To Run" so what you're reading is something that was written in Novemeber of 2008 and then the rest written in May of 2009. Mostly because as you might have noticed ...I was as bad updating then as I am now. LOL!**_

_**The notes at the bottom were written years after I posted this story, but went back and put them in here when a girl started PMing me on a TSCC site about my mental health. **_

_**Anyway enjoy.**_

**Strike One**

"So they know your identity General."

John turned to the doorway at the sound of the voice. The smaller of the two dark figures walked into the light beaming though the porch balcony window by a near street light.

The man was of medium height, only reaching John's shoulders. His hair was black with white streaks, and combed back. His handsome devilish face was ivory white with slight wrinkles around the dimples of his lips, and he bore a distinguished mustache and goatee. He wore a black, silk business suit, but what was the most haunting about the man were his piercing blue eyes.

"You have grown up since we last exchanged greetings, young Connor," the man offered in a polite, aristocratic British accent, giving a small bow. "I swear it's uncanny how you look just like your _Father_."

"How the hell did you get in here?" John roared at the familiar intruder that carried so many nightmares from one look upon his suave and yet sinister intellectual charm. Letting out some of the primal rage that had built in him he stormed toward the shadows.

Several paces from the well-dressed man, the sound of something cutting through the air landed several inches from John's feet, making him stop and look down. What he saw was a glint of steel and copper stuck into the carpeted floor. John didn't need light to know that it was a knife, nor were it came from. The man lifted his hand at the shadowed figure in a halting motion. "Forgive Abbud. He takes his job quite seriously, as you may remember," said the man with a hint of smugness.

John turned to the figure in the shadow. The tall man was completely covered by a black burka and turban, with the sleeves attached to five golden rings on each hand. A golden sash tied around his waist revealing an empty sheath. Looking into Abbud's grey eyes John suddenly felt his sense of smell go numb and his sight got blurry and swirled as if some sort of trance was attempting to force itself on him. He swayed for a moment before being able to bring himself back to reality, giving Abbud a hard look

"I'm not kid anymore. Your cheap parlor tricks don't work on me, _lackey_!" the former soldier spat at the covered body guard who seemed to glare at the name.

Abbud looked to the mysterious man, who motioned with his head to the door, to which the body guard opened and left. Just as the door closed the man turned back toward John, only to suddenly feel soft hands slowly crushing the life out of him.

Cameron, who had been drying off when she heard the commotion in the living room quickly, slipped into the beautiful silk dress she had set aside for John and her night together. She silently crept into the dining room during the man's introduction of his bodyguard. Waiting until the time was right to act; when she saw her chance she struck like a rattlesnake at its prey.

Choking the man slowly with a vice-like grip, Cameron stared back at John. "John, who is this, and why does he think that he can enter our home without permission and have his body guards throw knives at you?" Her voice was cold and had just enough of an air of menacing innocence to give one chills on the equator.

John scratched his stubble smugly at the reverse of the tables he had found himself in with the man he hated at the mercy of his wife.

"His name is Robert Goodwin, former Colonel of her Majesty's Special Air Services. In 1994 he was the mastermind of some crazy anti-technology terrorist group out of Libya that tried to recruit mom. She dabbled for a moment but when she refused to … do all that was wanted of her, Jeeves here took it as a personal insult and swore he would hunt us down. After five months of cat and mouse, mom and he came to a truce and an agreement. Then he set her up and left her to rot in Pescadero."

Robert gasped as if he was trying to say something. Cameron relented some of her grip in order to let the man speak. "I've known Sarah since she was a girl married to your impenitent father. She is one of the best fighters and strategists I have ever met. She should have been at my side, not my enemy," Goodwin choked out in a hoarse voice.

Cameron frowned in confusion at the mention of John's father but before she could utter a word The soldier snatched the intruder out of her grip shoving the older man against a wall near the doorway. "Is that why you kidnapped her? Huh? You missed your old bed warmer you sick bastard?" John let out in a low, dangerous growl.

Cameron looked puzzled, ready to ask what John was talking about when she saw the picture of Sarah and Derek on the ground. She picked it up and stared at it for a moment. Cameron's circuits felt enflamed as she saw the shame and humiliation on a now long blond haired Sarah's face. To Cameron, Sarah had been the closest thing to a mother she could have, and other than John she was her best friend. Her face turned from cold and emotionless to an angry scowl.

"I didn't kidnap your mother. I came here for your help," said Goodwin calmly, fearlessly looking into John's half crazed eyes.

"Why would you need my help?" John asked, not breaking eye contact with Goodwin.

"They took Kate. They took my daughter."

John stopped breathing for moment and broke eye contact, looking down as if in guilt. Cameron watched with half concern and half curiosity at John's sudden reaction. He let go of Goodwin by throwing him back into the wall with a painful crack and turned his back on him and walked toward the porch window.

"She was taken the same night as your mother and uncle," he continued, pulling a picture out of his pocket and handing it to Cameron.

On the picture was a beautiful woman with shiny red hair and ivory skin. She had a green evening gown on and appeared to be unconscious. Cameron walked over to John and held it out to him, but he refused to take it or even look at it. Goodwin watched in anger at John's refusal. "Are you so cold that you refuse to look at her, your betrothed?"

Cameron turned to look at Robert with a mix of shock and confusion. She then turned to John for an answer. Her husband didn't even look at her as he answered in a low angry tone.

"Kate was never yours to give away, neither was I by mom." John was slow and methodical in his speech as if talking to a small, misbehaving child. "You and mom's deal had no merit to ten year olds and still has none to a married man."

Goodwin turned in rage at the words "married man", focusing on Cameron, who was still staring at the back of John.

The sound of the door opening and Abbud entering the room only added to the tension that was building. Light poured into the living room as the door to the apartment was left open. "I heard raised voices," Abbud spoke for the first time. He had a deep, baritone Middle Eastern accent. Robert waved him off as he removed himself from the wall and started toward John.

Cameron immediately put herself between a still turned around John and an advancing Goodwin. At her sudden movement Abbud moved in position to strike out at Cameron. It felt that at any moment a fight would break out.

Suddenly Cameron felt a gentle hand place itself on the small of her back. Turning, she saw John standing behind her with a loving look in his eyes, staring at her despite the scowl on his face. It was just the thing Cameron needed to know that he was all right; that they were all right.

"What do you have in mind?" John asked, looking at Goodwin from behind his wife.

"We put our differences aside and work together to save the ones we love," Goodwin replied, putting out his hand toward John. Both Cameron and John shared a look of unspoken communication before she gave a slight nod. John returned the nod and took Goodwin's hand and shook it.

"So, general, what do you see?" Goodwin asked, pointing to both pictures in Cameron's hand. Both John and Cameron stared at the photos for several moments. "Cairo," both said in unison. Goodwin looked confused. "How can you be so sure of this?" He said, looking at both.

"The knife in the picture is a crysknife. It's a traditional Egyptian ceremonial weapon used by a cult of assassins from Cairo," said John, pointing to the blade in the picture. "It's rare anywhere else."

"There is a bedspread in the corner of the picture of Sarah and Derek which matches that of the one your daughter is placed on, meaning they are being held together. Also this pattern on the bedspread is one of the most popular in Cairo market places," Cameron supplied, looking up at everyone in a matter-of-fact way. All in the room stared at Cameron as if she had grown three heads. "I don't sleep," Cameron stated replying to everyone's dumbstruck stares.

"Your mother is right, general. You don't disappoint," Goodwin said with a proud grin on his face. "I see that my choice for Katherine's husband was not unwise," he continued giving Cameron a disgusted look.

John took her hand in his and gave the older man a dark glare. "We set off tomorrow," John said in an icy tone, pulling Cameron toward him and wrapped his arm around her waist from behind in a protective manner, as if to send a silent message to Goodwin.

"His appearance will be problematic at the airport," Cameron stated, looking at Abbud up and down, a telltale sign of a scan.

"We have a private airfield outside of the city. We will use my plane" said Goodwin back to her in a polite manner.

"Bullshit. We use our plane," John replied immediately causing Cameron to give him a double take before giving her own deadpanned response, "Yes, bullshit, our plane."

"Fine, your plane, tomorrow morning at 8:00." Goodwin bowed slightly, leaving a card on the coffee table with written instructions to the airfield. The aristocratic older man walked out the door without a backward glance. However, Abbud stayed behind staring straight into Cameron's brown eyes as he removed his curved blade out of the floor. Both held the other's gaze for a moment.

"Save it, lackey. It won't work on her either," John sighed, pointing to the door. Abbud gave Cameron one final glance when she tilted her head at him before exiting their home.

The apartment was silent again as both occupants stood together collecting their thoughts. "John?" Cameron looked back, comfortable in his arms.

"Yeah, Angel," John replied burying his head into Cameron's bare shoulder, feeling her still damp hair against the side of his face. He expected millions of questions about Kate.

"We don't own a plane," she said looking at the card on the coffee table.

John let out a snort of laughter, distorted by her shoulder, at the unexpected question. She's so easy to love, John thought, kissing her neck. "No, we don't, but we have a friend that does and he owes us more than one," John said with a little humor in his voice.

* * *

"Why does Robert Goodwin call you General?" Cameron asked John from the passenger side of the old maroon Jeep they stole only two hours ago.

John concentrated on the dark frigid morning road as he spoke. "Because he's what Mom would call a believer."

"Someone who believed in Judgment Day and Skynet?" Cameron asked watching the endless empty farm fields that fly by them.

"In the war he was the commander of Gray Battalions" John answered bitterly as he turned down an obscure dirt road.

"But I thought he ran an anti-technological terrorist organization?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

John snorted disdainfully. "Goodwin lies about what he's all about to fit in with what he wants. He wanted Mom so he lead an anti Tech cell … He wanted to live so he said that he supports Skynet." He grinded his teeth.

Cameron nodded in understanding as she watched the once dark sky begin to turn purple and orange.

"And Kate?" she asked, carefully, not knowing how sore the subject was to her husband. John sighed and gave Cameron a look as if he were trying to figure out how to explain things to her.

"Kate Goodwin is an old friend of mine. I met her when I was eight, when mom and I met Robert and his terrorist organization." John scratched behind his ear before he continued. "To mom they were like a god send. People that believed and thought like her, who didn't think she was crazy. Goodwin offered mom the world, and she was more than willing to take it." John sighed angrily at the memory.

"Robert Goodwin was in love with Sarah?" Cameron asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"Obsessed is a better word for what it was … sickly obsessed with the idea of possessing her." John's response was short and bitter.

"What happened?"

"He slowly drove his wife insane while he took mom all over the mansion and finally when his wife realized she could other go mad or do something about it, she killed herself. Then the day of her funeral Kate told me about what daddy did. So like the smart kid I was, I went to investigate" John said as if being pulled into somewhere dark in his mind, lost in his horrible memories. "I never seen a dead body before much less twenty" John said short of breath.

Cameron sensed John's distress, and gripped his hand and squeezed it. Cameron's touch pulled him out of his nightmare and back to reality. He gave her a sad smile and kissed her hand gently rubbing her knuckles lightly with his thumb. John paused for small second while gaining some of his composer back. "They killed computer scientists and their families" John went on.

"Did you tell Sarah?" Cameron asked looking into Johns hardening eyes.

John's jaw clenched in inaudible anger and his hand squeezed the steering wheel tight. "I did" john paused for a long moment as his anger was building. "She didn't care; she was just as obsessed with the son of a bitch as he was her." John said with vile.

Cameron looked shocked for a moment but then understood why Sarah didn't care. "John, Sarah was a young single mother who was offered protection and safety for her family; it is understandable that she would accept some sort of price for that." Cameron explained trying to place John in Sarah's shoes for a second.

"No it was more than that … She wanted to be at his side, wanted to be his princess. She wasn't herself, anyone with a good eye could see it." He shook his head.

Cameron blinked. "What happened?" She pushed gently.

"I took it upon myself to free her from the influence over her, I snuck around that damn mansion and found enough to shut Goodwin down, I would have too but Abbud caught me with the evidence I was going to turn in to the authorities." John cleared his throat with regret.

"Then?" Cameron asked with a voice of concern.

John stopped the Jeep and put the parking brake down, and sat in silence. "We need to ditch the car, and walk from here" said John with a small fake smile. Cameron sat there waiting for John to continue the story. But he got out of the jeep, Opening the trunk he began pulling out their luggage. Cameron knew John well enough to know when he was through talking about something. So she went to help.

Both only brought one bag full of clothes and emergency supplies. Both being technically raised by Sarah Connor brought a bag of guns with them.

As they made their way toward a distant air field John finally spoke. "I fought Abbud with all I had… and he nearly beat me to death with a crowbar. When I woke up me and mom were hundreds of miles away, and three months later mom agreed to a betrothal to keep them off our backs, but when mom refused to let Goodwin touch her after what happened to me he set her up in a jealous rage during her first attempt to raid Cyberdyne and had her thrown in Pescadero." He felt ashamed of himself as he shed a tear over the experience.

Cameron stopped and placed her hand over his heart as if she would metaphysically pull the sorrow from it. "Things have changed John, you are older, stronger, smarter, and … you have me." Cameron gave him a smile, the same she gave him when he told her the truth about his family in 1999.

John's walking nightmare once again faded at her touch. He gave her a smile back. "Well I should be stronger; you lay on my back every morning when I do my pushups"

###

After several minutes of walking in comfortable silence they reached the airfield.

It was small with a white shack and a large blacktop runway. It reminded John of the gun runner's airfields in northern Mexico that he and Sarah would frequent during their training when both were younger.

On the large runway sat a white private jet plane with black letters ZEIRA CORP. emblazoned on the side. The side door was open and a stair case was connected to it.

John and Cameron walked toward the abandoned jet. Both looked around finding themselves alone. Cameron was about to suggest that this was a trap, as John was reaching for her hand ready to run for cover when a deep male voice called from the shack behind him.

"So I'm on business in Houston when I get this call from a beautiful girl about cashing in on a favor I owe this Son of Bitch that ruined my Career, TWICE! I think his name was … Connor?" The voice belonged to an agitated older bald Black man who was making his way toward the couple.

John set down his bag and the guns; he placed a hand on Cameron's stomach as to tell her to stay back. "Oh yeah? Cause I also remember a son of bitch who was stupid enough to work for a killing machine for a year? What was his name…Ellison?" John replied in a mocking tone as he slowly walked toward the aged bald man.

"You got a lot balls to call me up like this, Connor, and epically after what you and Sarah did to my office" Ellison said with anger in his voice as he came face to face with young hero.

"I wasn't the one that was hiding a robot body in the basement, plus it needed redecorating anyway." John replied sharply.

Both starred one another down with determined faces for a moment. Then slowly they changed from dead serious to stupid grins. Ellison gave a belly laugh and pulled John into a bear hug. The soldier embraced the man back and gave a laugh, patting the man on the back. Both broke the embrace; Ellison clapped both hands on John's shoulders shaking him lightly. "Good lord you've grown since the last time I saw you."

"You have too…" John gave an ambiguous smile. Ellison gave a small sarcastic laugh as both men placed friendly arm around each other's shoulders. "Yeah, well, this old son of bitch can buy and sell your ass ten times over" Ellison said smugly as they walked toward Cameron.

The girl however was not smiling when John and Ellison reached her. "Hey Cameron" Ellison said genially cheery.

However, Cameron gave no reply to Ellison, just a dark glare and stayed in her place.

"If you want a hug you better have packed a lunch, Jim" John said with a small chuckle releasing his arm from Ellison's shoulder.

Ellison gulped audibly when John turned his back to them to pick up his bag and the guns. Cameron looked like she would kill him at any moment.

"Angel …" John called in a chastising tone, still turned around.

Her face suddenly lightened up and gave a small girly smile "Hello Mr. Ellison." The older man let out a small sigh of relief.

* * *

"You're married!"

The three of them were lounging around the steps of the plane, making small talk. Ellison stood above them leaning on the railing while looking down at John, who sat on a step with his back lounging on the railing wall with Cameron lying against his chest with his arms wrapped around her.

"Yep, for about two months now" John replied with a small smile kissing Cameron cheek lightly.

"Your mom and Derek know?" Ellison asked with humor in his voice.

"No" Cameron said staring off in the distance.

"I'd hate to be there when you do tell Sarah." Ellison said shaking his head. John scoffed at his comment.

"Yeah, she has the right to talk when her and Derek went and did the same thing" The memory of the incident made John laugh out loud and Cameron to smile. It had been a year since Sarah Connor and Derek Reese had been married.

It all began when Derek and Sarah got drunk one night on a Road trip to Las Vegas and decided that since they are going to live a normal life they needed to get life insurance for John. However both soon found out that they had to be married to get a better deal. Three hours later and a 3,000 dollar ring Derek Reese became Mr. Sarah Connor. It was only after they woke up in there hotel room spooning naked the next morning that they realized that Derek was a fugitive and could not get life insurance.

"So did they ever get that divorce I'm sure they were planning?" Ellison asked through gasps from laughing at the story.

"No, they realized about three days after that married life was a lot easier than being roommates." John shrugged with a smile. "Plus, they feel a whole lot less guilty about having sex in public places." The young man shook his head with a wince at the over share of information that Derek provided him with.

"They do like going to the mall …" Cameron supplied looking off toward the distance.

"Yep, apparently now that they're free of responsibility both have reverted to the teenagers they were." John replied looking off in the distance trying to see what Cameron was looking at.

After a quick survey, he finally saw what his was looking at. A small dust cloud that seemed distant several moments ago now got closer till it finally reviled a long black limo with some sort of royal crest on its door. It drove on to the black top stopping 30 yards from where John and Cameron were sitting.

A man in a dark gray uniform and hat stepped out of the driver's side and walked stiffly around the car opening the back door with the crest on it. Robert Goodwin stepped out of wearing a suite similar to the one he was wearing the night before. On the other side of the car Abbud came out from the shotgun position.

Goodwin approached the three still lounging on the stair case. He gave a small polite bow. "My your early." Goodwin stated frowning at John and Cameron's intimate position.

"No, you're late." Cameron countered coldly frowning at the man.

"So I am… I never could get use to American time." Goodwin said arrogantly.

"Douche" Ellison mumbled causing John to snort and Cameron to smile slightly.

"I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself I'm Robert William Goodwin" He said bowing again.

Ellison nodded "I'm…"

"James Ellison, Yes, I know I read about you and Zirea Corp." Goodwin frowned slightly.

"Right" Ellison nodded politely.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, as each person had nothing to say to one another. It was Cameron who broke the Ice.

"We should go" Cameron said standing up, breaking John's comforting hold on her. The young man stood up behind her and let her go first.

But just before Cameron was about to walk up the steps and enter the plane a black blur flew by everyone and delivered a swift and powerful strike to Cameron's knees knocking her down the steps. She landed face down on the pavement after hitting every step down.

John rushed to his wife's side and helped her up. Cameron's face had a small thin stream of blood running from her mouth, but showed no emotion to it. John turned from Cameron to the stairs where Abbud stood.

John felt a sudden murderous rage rise in him. "Son of Bitch!" John frighteningly growled about to rush forward at Abbud ready for round two. However John's approach was halted by Cameron who placed herself in front of him grabbing his brown leather jacket.

Goodwin walked by them with a smirk on his face. "I'm sorry about that; but Abbud believes strongly that no one should precede me when entering or leaving a room. Call it …. Zealous." Robert walked up the stairs and into the plane. Abbud stayed behind moment starring down at John and Cameron. He gave a small nod and followed his master in.

"No, I call it strike one!" John growled angrily as he cleaned the stream of blood coming from Cameron's mouth.

"I'm fine John" Cameron stated gripping his hand giving him a small ghost of a smile.

Ellison came up behind both of them looking a bit spooked. "Did you see how fast that… thing moved?"

"Yeah, watch yourself, but he's not as fast as you think." John answered checking Cameron for more injuries.

"Where is your pilot?" Cameron asked walking over picking up the bags after passing Johns inspection.

"You're looking at him" Ellison said with a grin. Both John and Cameron exchanged looks before looking back at him.

"Uh … Jim? Aren't you a bit…" John struggled to find the words to describe his point.

"Old" Cameron finished John's sentence looking up and down at him.

Ellison looked a bit offended at the couples comment. "I am a certified pilot and Sarah and Derek are old friends I can't just sit back and do nothing!"

John Sighed Scratching behind his ear "fine, but…" He started but was once again finished by Cameron.

"I'll be his copilot, don't worry, John" Ellison gave a small gulp of nervousness as Cameron shot him what could only described as an evil smile.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_**So here recently my stories have been psycho analyzed and a theme of Obsession with Sarah has been brought up in this arm chair shrink Bull Crap, which I personally don't care for in FF's. **_

_**So to address this I will give the same answer I gave the "Shrink" that danced around all out accusing me of having a problem. **_

_**Keep in mind that when I was writing this story, I was planning other stories. One of these stories I was thinking about would eventually be called "Because the Night". What people need to understand is that my writing builds upon itself. The reason that the Minotaur was obsessed with Sarah was because I wrote a subplot involving Goodwin being unhealthy in love with Sarah and I thought it would be interesting to build a story on that type of arc. **_

_**Low and behold a year after this story was finished I used it in "Because the Night". **_

_**I would like to remind everyone that I appreciate you reading, but I need to tell you guys that these are just stories, I'm just a writer trying to write an interesting and entertaining story for me and you guys. **_

_**Don't get me wrong, I Absolutely love you guys feedback and really cherish your reviews, they make me feel really great to read that you enjoy what I'm doing. **_

_**But please don't accuse me of something I'm not, because you dislike the way I plot my stories. **_

_**Thanks for everything. **_

_**-Phantomwriter **_


	3. The Market

**The Market**

The late afternoon sun pounded the ancient cobble stone walk ways that covered the market place of Cairo as people walked busily to and from tent to tent, stand to stand buying and selling goods. The smell of incense and spice filled the charged air of the busy Market, giving those who have never been there a sense of excitement and culture that only the ancient city of mystery and prophecy could provide.

Among the newcomers to the city was an angelic teenage girl. The beauty had wondered off from her companion, who was standing near a booth asking questions to a dodgy Arab man in a language her neural network couldn't translate.

Standing in front of a wall she looked around at the busy market with interest as she scanned spices, fruits, and objects that were foreign to her database. The reaction to all of this new material made her look like an amused and overall curious little girl that seemed egger to find out what each strange object and action meant. Suddenly she spotted something she had never seen before in her short life.

A snake charmer had been sitting in one of the alleys leading from the busy market rows. The white turban headed man's music seemed to entice the girl to cross a crowded street to see what he was doing. Her brown eyes watched with great innocence and childlike wonder as the Cobra swayed to and fro to the wailing sound of his horn, as if dancing to the rhythm.

"Cam, Cameron!" John called out to his wife who seemed enamored with the unusual display in front of her. "Come on, Angel, you can't go wondering off like that, especially here." John scolded lightly placing a hand on Cameron's lower back.

John's loud voice had taken both Cameron and the charmer by surprise. The snake charmer who had been unaware that he had an audience and looked up, he spotted the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her eyes were like golden chocolate; her smooth silky skin and completion were pure perfection. The way her hair was curled and looked so soft and smooth to the touch and her clothes fit her beautiful figure so…

The charmer had been so dazed by Cameron's beauty that he had forgotten one essential thing, he stopped playing his horn.

"YAAAHHH" the Charmer screamed mercilessly as the cobra spit venom in his eyes. John watched with a horrified look on his face as the charmer wrestled with the Cobra. Cameron watched the fight with a puzzled look on her face.

"Is this part of the display?" Cameron asked with a confused look. John immediately took her hand and walked away as fast he could.

"We're moving on" John said quickly not looking back

"Right now?" Cameron asked looking behind her as a crowed began to form where they were standing.

"Yep, right now." John answered her moving a block down the other way.

* * *

Cameron stood with her back to a pole as she tried to overhear the conversation John and a vender were having. However like before Cameron had no idea what they were saying as she had no clue what language they were speaking.

"Ah, salaam and good evening! May I interest you in some lovely things for such a lovely girl?" A short fat man wearing a white turban addressed her with a rolled up blanket underneath his arm. The cyborg stared at the man blankly before turning to John who seemed to be in a quiet but intense conversation with an eye patched peddler. When she turned back the man had spread the blanket at an abandoned booth.

Cameron walked several feet till she was in front of the booth. He had many fancy looking things. From jewelry, to old looking pottery. However what caught cyborg's eye was a small collection of Swords, ranging from scimitars to a saber. Cameron picked up one of the Swords looking it over.

"Ah yes, that is a wise choice of antique. It once belonged to a handsome prince who failed to win his love's heart so he cursed it before throwing himself upon it." The man said sadly as if he knew all too well of the misery. Cameron tilted her head at the man with interest.

"Why would he do that?" she asked with a puzzled face.

"Would you like to hear the tale?" the man asked

"No she wouldn't" John answered coming up behind Cameron looking a bit miffed. "I thought I said to stay close." John said harshly glaring at her. Cameron fixed him with an innocent look as she handed him the sword.

"I'm sorry" Cameron replied blankly as if it would make him feel better. John gave her an exasperated sigh taking it.

"What is it?" he asked looking the sword over.

"It's cursed." Cameron stated in her trademark deadpan.

"So you give it to me?" John said with a small chuckle.

"It's a tight present." Cameron answered with a smile that made John melt a little.

"No it's a piece of crap that a thief is trying to peddle to two young inexperienced tourists." A familiar English accent announced as Goodwin appeared from behind a crowd of people followed closely by Abbud and Ellison.

John glared at Goodwin as he made his way toward them. "Where the hell have you been?" John asked with some of his anger returning.

The tallest amongst them frowned "I've been guarding the plane for the night." Ellison put his hands up defensively.

"No, not you, them." Cameron stated coldly pointing at Goodwin and his bodyguard.

"Checking my sources, I have found nothing." He replied agitated.

"I may have found something, several local thieves said that there was a bounty out for a 6 foot westerner with stubble, spiky hair, and a brown leather jacket, also He would be traveling with a beautiful teenage girl, Sound familiar?" John said with an accusatory tone.

"Really, and how did you come across such information?" Goodwin countered with a suspicious look.

"I make it my business to know" John retorted with an air of authority.

"So how much you worth?" Ellison asked trying to change the subject with a small interested smile.

"1,000 pieces of gold" John shrugged. Ellison gave whistle

"Damn If I wasn't a friend I might turn you in myself. Savanna could use a trust fund for college" Everyone turned to stare at Ellison. "Just joking" Ellison had a nervous chuckle as he spotted Cameron with a cold murderous look.

"With a fortune like that why isn't the entire city after me?" John pondered out loud.

"Cause of the people that put it on you my friend." Everyone turned at the voice of the "thief". The man turned from one side to another to check of if anyone was listening.

"The creed of assassins that put that bounty on you is feared by many. They say that if you go into their fortress you never leave!" the man whispered shaking his head slightly.

"Fortress … what fortress?" John asked leaning closer

"Several miles outside of the city, there is an abandoned Temple of Isis, Ancient and hidden. There are few who know the way" The man whispered.

"I take it you do though?" the former officer stated quietly, the man nodded slyly.

"You take us that way, then …" John Commanded.

"I will" the rat like merchant responded.

"Good…" John replied. But as he turned around the thief grabbed John by his T-shirt.

"For a price." the small man said with a sleazy grin looking Cameron's breast over hungrily.

"Out of the question!" John replied removing the thief's hands from his shirt and tossing him back with a stiff shove. The Thief was about to lash out when a jagged Knife flew straight into his neck, dropping him immediately.

Everyone turned to see seven men whose faces were covered by turbans approaching with the crowd clearing a path out of fear. The men stopped twenty yards from the group. The lead shouted something in a language that no one knew, to which all drew scimitars.

John gave a slight grin reaching under his t-shirt for the pistol strapped between his belt and jeans. However his grin faded when he felt nothing there.

"Shit!" John swore looking toward Cameron.

"You said that we need to keep a low profile, plus you always say I don't need one." Cameron replied understanding the situation.

"Jim?" John asked with a hint of embarrassment.

"Umm, What is … no. What happened to yours?" Ellison replied a bit panicked.

"We hung around thieve hideouts most of the day. They must have stolen it, freakin cleptoes!" John replied Looking around to find Goodwin and Abbud nowhere in sight.

"Well, guess there's only one way to handle this" John sighed.

"As much as possible?"

"Yep …"

"We need a plan" Cameron replied turning toward Ellison. Ellison however seemed to be caught in shock as if watching something out of this world. Cameron gave him a strange look before she heard the clang of metal and painful grunting.

When Cameron turned to address Ellison, John had grabbed the saber that once belonged to the Thief and charged head long into the group of seven men. By the time Cameron had turned around John had dispatched two of the seven men, and seemed to be holding off the remaining five with advanced swordsman skills.

The cyborg watched for a second with the same dumb struck look before a small smile graced her lips. If it was one thing Cameron had learned about her husband at any age, it was never underestimate John Connor.

By the time Cameron rushed to help John he was only fighting two assassins. Striking and parrying both men with expert foot work. One swung at John to whom he disarmed in one smooth motion kicking him in the knee cap sending the Assassin to the ground in agonizing pain. Cameron came up behind the other quickly breaking his neck.

John gave a quick nod to his wife before he menacingly approached the crippled Assassin who tried to crawl away. John gripped the man from behind and turned him over. The soldier had a half crazed look on his face as he lifted the man in the air and slammed him on a hard wood stall and into the half-baked items the thief had laid in front of Cameron.

"Where are my mother and uncle?" John Growled holding the saber just above his neck.

"At our fortress but you might as well kill yourselves because you won't make it out of there alive anyway." The man laughed smugly, John angrily smashed the knuckle guard into the man's face knocking him unconscious. John gave a long sigh letting the adrenaline drain jabbing the saber into the table.

"John, are you alright?" Cameron came up behind him touching the back of his neck. John gave her a reassuring smile grabbing her hand and placing it on his cheek. Her look lightened and she kissed him before being pulled into a hug.

"What the hell was that?" Ellison nearly yelled walking toward the couple completely blown away.

"What?" John looked from Ellison to Cameron who also had a slight surprised look on her face as she looked up at him in his arms.

"The Zorro stunt" Ellison replied still in awe at John's handy work.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good with a blade, though not as good as mom." John shrugged slightly.

"Sarah is good with a Sword?" Cameron asked with a hint of surprise.

"Oh yeah the best, she was a snooty rich girl and use to take advanced saber lessons as a part of her old English education as a girl. But I mean it's a useless skill against robots from the future, but mom taught me anyway." John explained. "We did it for fun and less for training." John shrugged fondly.

"Then who taught Sarah?" Ellison asked

"His father." Goodwin reappeared with Abbud and several uniformed men behind him. John frowned at his comment and ignored the confused looks Ellison and Cameron were giving him.

"And where were you when the fight started?" John asked suspiciously

"Abbud dragged me to a safe area till it was over, then I got some help." Goodwin answered the question as if it was obvious. "What have you learned?" Goodwin asked motioning to the knocked out Assassin.

"Mom, Derek, and I'm pretty sure Kate is in that fortress outside of the city." John answered. "But he isn't talking as to where this Temple fortress thing is." he continued with a Sigh.

"Oh, he'll talk; you have my word on that." Goodwin said darkly motioning to the uniformed men who dragged the Assassin away. "Excellent Work General, your handy work is worth the legendary name of John S. Connor." Goodwin praised with a bow. John scowled at the man when mentioning the name.

"We will meet after dark at the Café near the university." Goodwin announced to the three of them. "We will have the location by then." Goodwin assured them.

"Fine" John agreed walking back toward their hotel.

John had only walked several steps when a fist connected with his face sending him to the ground. The hero looked up to see Abbud standing several steps away with his arm out and clenched fist. Goodwin only smiled as he walked by John.

"Sorry General, but you know Abbud." Goodwin said smugly disappearing into the darkness with his mysterious body guard right behind him.

"Alright that's _Strike Two_!" John said angrily as Cameron helped him up.

"We should return to the Hotel and collect the weapons" Cameron stated looking John over.

"Good plan, because I have a feeling we got a long night ahead of us." John replied as the sun began to set. "You coming Jim?" John called out toward Ellison.

"S …?" Ellison pondered as they began walking away from the market.

"What?" John looked back at him

"Your middle name starts with an S?" Ellison asked

"Uh, yeah, moving on." John answered quickly.

"What does it stand for?" Cameron asked interested.

"Don't… don't worry about it alright." John said flustered as they walked.

* * *

**Foot notes**

**John knowing the local language will be explained.**

**John wanting Cameron close is more for her safety then his. It's that worried kind of anger.**

**The sword stuff was my tribute to Second hand Lions. I know there is going to be someone that will review saying they can't believe Sarah Connor as an expert swordsman. To that person I say, she is so live with it.**

**And finally John's middle name. I know what it is but I'll leave it up to you guys. next chapter or end of the story.**


	4. Into the Black

**Into the Black**

_When John Connor was six years old he was captured by pro-communist government troops. He spent several nights in prison before being taken into the jungle to be shot as the progeny of the enemy of the Peoples Republic. Starved and scared, John by a miracle and training since the cradle escaped the execution. Running and hiding throughout the night John settled into a hidden cave. Several days past, and John sat alone in the dark with only a stolen canteen of water. Finally Sarah found him alone and comatose. For the next ten years John Connor feared the dark places of the world._

* * *

Five mounted camel silhouettes made their way across the chilled dunes of the Sahara Desert. A gust of wind blew sand down on the determined travelers from a hill of sand above them. The small caravan used the midnight moonlight to guide them through the ancient and unforgiving landscape that once housed pharaohs and kings of old. The only sound that could be heard was the crunch of the sand, and the small groans of the camels.

From afar John Connor could see what they had been seeking, the Assassin's fortress, it was nothing like anyone of them had ever imagined.

There was an ancient naked upper body figure of Isis carved into a cliff, with her hands extending outward; as if trying to embrace the full moon in front of her. The statue was chipped and eroded with most of the deities' body and ancient carvings blasted away. The group could only find entrance through the only doorway located on her stomach which was a connected to a square platform with stairs on three sides.

"Wow" Cameron spoke first in uncharacteristic awe.

John whistled in agreement swing off his camel taking the old Remington tactical shotgun with him. Cameron and the other three travelers followed suit, keeping a wary eye out for enemies. For the next hour they lead their camels by foot.

They stopped several hundred yards from the entrance, hiding behind a dune covered by the shadow of one of Isis's big hands. In her shadow the entire area was pitch black.

"What the hell is this place? Cause it sure doesn't look like a fortress!" John whispered harshly looking at Abbud and Goodwin.

"It was once a prison… a secret prison were only the worst of the worst were kept to serve their sentence and then executed." Abbud said with a dark and ominous tone. There was a small silence before anyone spoke.

"Bullshit!" Ellison almost laughed at the absurdity of the statement. "If it was a prison, then it would never have been a secret. Just trying to psyche us out." Ellison finished jabbing a thumb at Abbud. Suddenly, a gold ringed hand shot out snatching Ellison's collar.

He brought Ellison up to his eye level. "You doubt my honesty!" Abbud said aggressively shaking the bald man murderously. The sound of a racked shotgun cut the tense air.

Abbud turned his head to find the barrel of a scarred and chipped Shotgun pointed at his head. "That's my friend, flunky." John said coldly holding Sarah's old gun steadily in the bodyguard's face. "You may be fast. But can you dodge a scatter shot?" John asked with a gravelly voice, daring him to try something.

Abbud however did not accept the challenge, he slowly let go of Ellison and backed away from him. Goodwin smiled at John's attitude waving Abbud toward him for a private conversation.

John watching Abbud and Goodwin while shouldering the Shotgun. After a moment to let the adrenaline and the tension drain He turned to Cameron who was watching him with a hard to read face "What do you think Angel?" John asked his wife.

"There seems to be only one way into the Temple… Topanga Canyon." Cameron offered after giving the statue of Isis a through scan and let her neural network process the geography of the area.

"No, in Topanga we had an army. Here it's just you and me this time." John answered with a sigh. Cameron frowned slightly nodding her head in agreement.

"Serrano Point?" Cameron asked looking at John with a hopeful expression.

"No, same situation, plus there was more than one way to get in there." John answered with another defeated sigh, scratching his stubble.

'What the hell are you guys talking about?" Ellison asked, tired of being the third wheel to the married couple's conversation. "Serrano Point and Topanga?" He gave a confused look to both.

"When I was in the future I fought in a number of battles." John explained. For a moment a deep darkness settled in his eyes and a flood of terrible memories of many engagements and the many mangled bodies left alone on the rain swept muddy plains of India and the dusty, hellish, killing fields of the Battle of Palmdale.

Cameron touched her husband's arm gently, shaking him out of his darkened mind set and he turned to her and gave a reassuring smile stroking her cheek while holding her gaze.

"So, how old are you really?" Ellison asked breaking the small intimate moment between the married couple.

"Well, technically I'm nineteen but in reality … twenty five." John answered distractedly, having a hard time taking his eyes off the anchor that was his wife's gaze.

Ellison shot him a strange look.

"Time travel, what can I say." John shrugged.

There was another silent moment in which the cyborg amongst the men considered something. "I could get naked." She finally spoke as looking to John.

"What! No…when have we ever done that?" John stumbled over is words as he tried to comprehend Cameron's thought process.

"It works on you." Cameron pointed out innocently. John blushed a little while looking away with a stupid grin, while Ellison shook his head with mock disapproval.

"Hey, where's Abbud?" John suddenly called bring the shotgun back into ready position.

"I sent him ahead to… clear the way so we may enter. We will wait for his signal." Goodwin stated walking up the side of the dune to get a better look at the temple. Cameron followed suit leaving John and Ellison behind.

"Some like it hot" Ellison smiled teasingly at John.

John responded with a light jab to his arm as he went to accompany Cameron.

Settling himself on his stomach down next to Cameron; John pulled out a small hand held telescope from his inner coat pocket and began studying the surrounding area. Both husband and wife remained silent as they laid low in the sand.

"John?" Cameron finally spoke with a simple curiosity.

"Yeah" John replied studying the entrance. When she didn't follow anything up he turned from his telescope to her.

Cameron had a small hurt look giving him what some might be considered puppy dog eyes. "Studies suggest that it's not healthy to keep secrets in a marriage." She stated continuing to stare at him.

"What?" John asked not sure what Cameron was getting at.

"Your middle name?" She pressed with a tilt of her head.

"Ang … oh fine." John exasperated giving a sigh of frustration. John gave a quick look around to make sure that no one was listening to him.

"Remember how Mom went into labor with me in the jungle?" John asked to which Cameron nodded. "Well they gave her dark rum for the pain; anyway it was a difficult birth so Mom ended up drinking the entire bottle. So, by the time she got to name me, she was three sheets to the wind. So in her blurry minded glory she swore that she would burn herself into the annuals of history forever." John stopped there hoping that Cameron would get his point without any further explanation. Cameron continued to stare waiting for more of the story.

Their conversation was interrupted by intense snickering. John turned to find Ellison behind him shaking from trying to hold in the laughter. John turned lowering his head in embarrassment while Cameron began to feel like she had missed something.

"You don't get it?" Ellison started laughing so hard that he could barely get the words out "His full name is… John …. Sarah" Ellison just died from that point on giving in to a quite laughing fit.

Cameron turned to John confused.

"My full name is… John Sarah Connor" He said with a sigh ignoring the small howling sound that Ellison gave off at the name.

Cameron gave a small pause before speaking. "But that's a girl's name." Cameron finished still quite puzzled

"So hey, how about we drop it huh?" John said shortly, going back to examining the area. Several minutes passed before John saw a black cloaked figure making hand signals in their direction.

"That's the signal." Goodwin whispered moving from his hiding place slowly. John and Cameron began to follow suit when John stopped and turned to Ellison.

"Jim, Watch the getaway rides." John said with a smug grin of revenge.

"What! Why?" Ellison called offended.

"Cause old timer, we need someone to watch them for us." John replied motioning for Cameron to follow.

"Man why do we even have Camels?" James asked bitterly staring at the animals lounging at the base of the dune.

"Because, Trucks are too loud and horses sink in the sand." Cameron explained in a matter - fact – way. Ellison frowned as she patted him on the head lightly.

"See there you go, come on Angel, let's hit it." John called as they made their descent into the moonlit open.

"Be careful **Sarah**!" Ellison called out to John to which the hero shot him his middle finger from behind.

After several minutes of duck and go they reached the stone platform where Abbud was waiting.

"There were seven guards outside that now have to answer to God." Abbud addressed the three that were now assembled outside the entrance.

John observed that he had been mistaken in believing that there was a front door. The entrance was a sandstone doorway with carved stone steps and inside the soft glow of torches could be seen shadowing and flickering below.

"Lady's first." Goodwin motioned to Cameron gracefully.

Cameron gave a small frown taking a step forward, but was stopped by John who barred her way. Shooting Goodwin a dirty look, John took the first step inside followed closely by Cameron.

The inside of the Temple was once again nothing what John expected. The entire inside was lit by torches, reminding John of all the mummy movies he had ever seen. The entire inside was made of ancient stone, the torches bathed the room in an eerie shadowy hue; Skulls seemed to litter the floor everywhere. Looking across the room, John found a large cast ironed gate with a strange double eagle symbol at the top. Upon seeing it, John tossed the excruciatingly familiar symbol a hateful glare. The gate however was blocked by a moat of sand and pieces of what looked like a bridge leading to the other side where the gate resided that was destroyed leaving only three well-spaced parts of it.

John walked up to the edge of the moat; he raised his shotgun, and looked down. To the former Tech-Com officer's amazement, the sand seemed to be moving in a whirlpool pattern.

"What's up with the sand?" John called toward everyone who had been looking around.

Cameron blinked and tilted her head. "It seems to be funneling downward. There might be some sort of vacuuming system recycling the sand." she stated watching intently.

The hero snorted "Hell of a security system." John took several steps back before crunching a skull under his foot.

Abbud made a strange sound of protest. "The skulls of former prisoners," Abbud warned the soldier with contempt picking up one of the skulls "a warning to all who dare trespass here" he glared at the hero.

John gave him an amused look resting the gun on his shoulder. Out of spite John decided to bend down to pick up one of the skull to inspect, but before he could pick it up the skull suddenly rose up with a body draped in black cloth to attack John.

He raised his shotgun to fire but was knocked to the ground when the man swept John's feet out from under him. The assassin raised his knife ready to stab John; when two shots from a silencer dropped the skull headed killer. John turned to see Cameron stalk toward the man with a pistol raised; when she reached the wounded assassin, she placed two more shots in his head to finish him.

John got to his feet and slowly walked toward Cameron, who was transfixed on the dead assassin. John gripped her hand and turned her slowly to see cold hate permeate from her being.

"Are you okay, Angel?" John placing a hand on her cheek

She blinked several times before the anger flowed away.

"He tried to kill you John." Cameron stated emotionlessly looking over to the dead man "He paid for that, they will all pay for it." she continued with a ghost of ruthlessness that John had never heard from her before. He however just nodded pulling her in a small embrace.

"Thanks for the save." John said kissing her on the head before letting her go. Cameron gave him a grateful but spooked look.

Cameron Connor had only shown such emotion once before and it scared her a little. Remembering her promise to Skynet that she would put her loved ones head on a pike for all to see.

John and Cameron's emotional moment was broken up by Goodwin who walked toward John with Sarah's shotgun.

"We need to keep moving!" Goodwin tossed the gun at Cameron but was caught by John with one hand. Goodwin sneered before walking toward the moat. John gave a deep breath before nudging Cameron to follow. She gave one more worried stare at the dead skull headed man before complying.

"How do we cross this?" John pondered out loud looking down at the vortex of sand.

"The bridge?" Goodwin pointed to the remaining pieces.

"Think we can jump that?" John turned toward Cameron.

She stared at the remains a moment before answering. "Yes, but I recommend one at a time, lightest first, heavy last" Cameron pointed to the ruins.

Goodwin was first to cross the ruins. He gave a running start, hopping from piece to piece with a trained grace. Next was John who jumped with a straight forward soldier like manner. Then Abbud jumped with inhuman skill and speed across, taking half the time to cross than Goodwin and John. Finally it was Cameron's turn to cross. She jumped with unique graceful ballet like strides. However as she crossed the structures seemed to collapse behind her, she just barely made it into John's arms before the final part of the bridge tumbled down.

"Damn, Babe we're not even married two months and you've already let yourself go." John said with a smile.

Cameron just stared blankly at him clearly missing the joke.

"Uhhh … never mind," John said letting her go.

They all made their way to the Iron Gate that blocked the path inside. It was large with a height of twenty feet, and a width of thirty. The heavy cast iron gate was coated with many centuries of rust and dust. Just behind the gate laid a pitch black abyss.

"Well… how do you want to play this?" John turned to Cameron with a smug grin. "Practical or traditional?" John asked pointing his shotgun at the thick chain with a rusty lock.

"You know me, John" Cameron said standing back.

"Alright then, stand back!" John called quietly taking several steps backward before pointing the shotgun at the chains. He fired one round at the lock busting it.

However the force of the blast created a ripple through the gate and in several seconds the hinges to the double doors broke off causing the entire gate to fall forward with a screeching bang. They all stood in a shocked silence.

"Huh" was all John grunted at their enormously loud entrance.

But when he saw the eagle symbol at his feet John's neutral attitude changed and he spat on it with distain.

"Maybe we should just knock next time." Goodwin scolded disliking what John had done to the symbol. Both men traded glares before the ex-colonel walked into the black nothingness; he was then followed by Abbud.

Cameron walked by John with a ghost of a smile.

"You just had to be a traditional kind of gal didn't you?" John sighed with a mock scowl.

"Yes" Cameron answered as John entered the black abyss in which she followed.

* * *

The sound of feet shuffled their way from the last of the gloomed light of the gate into the blanket of darkness.

"Damn it, I can't see a thing!" John hissed as he placed a hand into his jacket pocket. He felt around calmly at first but then after a moment he was frantically searching "Son of Bitch, I dropped the flashlight back there. We need to back for it" John called out quietly.

"No, we press on, Abbud knows where to go." Goodwin's voice stated close by.

"Oh yeah, then where are we?" John asked with a trace of uncertainty.

"We're in the open of a round ceremonial Chamber" Cameron whispered behind him causing him to jump.

"Hey don't… Just stay close okay, and act blind." John replied quietly

"Why?" Cameron asked puzzled

He glared at her "I don't want them knowing what you are." John whispered shakily as he slowly put one foot in front of the other. Cameron observed him for a second before wrapping herself around one of his arms. Through their physical contact Cameron's sensors went off.

"_His endorphins are high and his blood pressure is off the chart. He's scared?" _

She thought slightly surprised. Cameron has seen the many emotions of John Connor before, but fear was one that she has not seen in him since he was a teenager. Cameron shot him a worried glance.

As they moved further and further into the dark John began to slowly crack. Little by little the silence made him paranoid. With every step Cameron felt she was dragging John instead of leading him. She eventually could hear the wild thumping of John's heart without needing to listen for it.

"It's okay John, I'm here" Cameron stated placing her head against his trying to calm his growing panic. John shrugged Cameron off hastily taking a step back angrily.

"Keep your sensors out of my head." John said viciously. Cameron flashed a deeply hurt face moving to place a hand on his chest. "Get your hands off me, I don't need you." John slapped her hand away in panicked denial.

"John, please calm down, your freaking out" Cameron said calmly.

"Go to hell! I'm a hero; heroes don't get scared or freak out…" John replied as if trying to convince himself more than her.

"_**They save people, they make the hard decisions. Fear is something that the enemy will never know so neither shall you. Touching you remembered it though you clearly have forgotten everything else you we were taught**__." _

A Cybernetic like voice called toward the group. Suddenly a loud crack broke the confused silence and torches lit the once dark chamber.

The chamber was round with rows of ancient pillars with markings of chains and hieroglyphics of executions around the chipped and long forgotten columns. In the center of the room was a ring of throne like seats evenly spaced from one another, they all faced a tiled circle in the center.

In the highest seat in the circle lounged a shadowed figure carving into the arm rest with a combat knife.

Cameron turned to John, but only to find that John was already advancing on the figure, fear and panic forgotten in a moment of angry rage. John stalked into the ring, shotgun in ready position, but the mysterious figure seemed not to be threatened by him.

The figures face was covered by a blood red helmet with a skull like design on the front. Its combat boot and black cargo panted legs were crossed. The posture screamed confidence.

"Where are they?!" John demanded pointing the old Shotgun at the figure's female body. There was a deep and disbelieving sense of recognition to the outfit that seemed to strike John with a stupefying sense of confusion.

"_**John, you'll never get information out of someone through cheap intimidation. You know better than that.**__" _The figure chastised with an eerie cybernetic voice.

An enraged John dropped the gun to the tile floor grabbing the figure from its seat and throwing it to the ground. He turned to the knife stuck in to the arm rest, snatching it with one smooth motion he placed it to the throat of the female figure under her helmet.

"You tell me where they are, or I swear to god I'll make you wish you were dead." John said ruthlessly in a demonic sounding raspy growl.

There was a strange metallic twist of laughter that erupted from the helmet as it tilted its head at him. _**"How can you kill someone who already is?" **_she asked. John frowned in confusion at the masked kidnapper that seemed to know him very well.

"General, Watch out, the floor!" Goodwin warned shouting to a preoccupied John.

Suddenly the helmeted figure kicked away from John and rolled backwards. She turned and in one fluid motion punched a button on the throne.

John felt the ground shake under him before the tiled floor opened under his boots, sending him into the black pit below, a groan escaped him as he hit what felt like a pile of sand. He coughed loudly and wheezed as his mother's old shotgun dug into his side where he fell on it.

He stood slowly looking up to the dimly lit ceiling. Looking around at his surroundings it occurred to John that he had fallen into a pitch black room with the light from the round opening above shining on him and the patch of sand he was standing on like a spotlight.

The sound of commotion shifted dust and sand down on top of him.

"Cameron!" John yelled but no one answered.

BOOM!

The sound of an explosion shook the ceiling above, then with little warning the sound of grinding tile began to block out the only light source in the room.

"Hey … HEY! Cameron!" John shouted but it was too late as the last of the light went out leaving John alone in the dark.

* * *

John stood in the Dark, Silence surrounding him.

"No fear, no fear, no fear" John whispered to himself as flashes of vampire bats and the memory of dank musk filled his senses.

John breathed slowly trying to conquer his paralyzing fear.

"I fought machines …. Saved hundreds ….. I'm a _Hero_" John said aloud taking a step backward.

However in the process he stumbled backward feeling metal underneath his foot. Falling down on his back, John felt paranoia seep in.

"Who's there…. Who?" He asked with a fear shaken voice. But a roar of silence replied to his queries. John looked around straining his ears for anything.

He began to tremble slightly sitting up.

His fear brought doubt and the doubt brought a deep existential hopelessness to a normally resolved John Connor. He gingerly reached out for the metal object that tripped him. John sighed as he gripped his fallen shotgun. He pulled it toward him holding it close as a child would a stuffed animal. Slowly he was reverting from the hardened war hero to the small child who was once lost and afraid.

In the gloom of the dark John Connor wished for nothing more than to be found by the one person who promised she always would … his mother.

John wasn't sure how long he sat in the sand, rocking back and forth just waiting for Sarah to come and get him. It was in these stressful situations when there was nothing but fear in his heart and mind that John would sit and wait for her.

Suddenly a voice in his head called him to its attention.

"_I can't come and get you John…You need to come and get me."_Sarah's voice echoed in is mind.

He shook his head in response. "I…I can't it's too dark and I can't see." John said out loud all dignity forgotten alone in the black.

"_Your stronger then you ever imagined. Derek and I need you. If you don't come and get us, then no one will."_ Sarah pushed. _"You lost Alison because you where indecisive and if you make the same mistake…you'll lose us too." _

The words made John freeze in place as the almost crippling pain of the loss his wife stabbed him in the heart.

Allison Young Connor was John's first wife and greatest failure. From a rough period in which she hated the guts of the brash and strange know it all; to the lust they had for each other that lead to wild and passionate sex in secret places, to finally the love she felt after the Battle of Palmdale where he kept her alive and safe. However throughout their evolving relationship Allison Young in the end was nothing more than a replacement for Cameron. After they got married it had started to become clear to John that he and Alison's relationship and how it started hurt too many people they cared about. So when Allison was captured John struggled with the decision to rescue her or leaving her there so he could have Cameron back. His indecision caused him to be too late to save her life, but just in time to watch her lifeless body being tossed off the aircraft carrier and swallowed by the sea.

The memories of Alison's death roused John from his childlike state back to the man he was. Forgetting the voice and the fear that had gripped him so completely, for the first time since entering the temple John felt the fire and determination to save his loved ones.

Without hesitation the hero stood up and after several calming breaths he reached into his pockets looking for anything that might become useful.

"What the …?" John pulled out a long cylinder shape out of his inner pocket.

_"A glow flare when did I pack a glow flare?" _John thought for a moment. Then a realization hit him as he turned it in thought. _"The Red Mask must have placed it in my pocket."_ John tightened his grip on the glow stick.

"This is a test."

John sighed shaking his head snapping the light stick on. The room he was in suddenly became visible.

It was large square room with four solid stone walls with a metal door closed shut on the far north. As John walked toward the door, shotgun and glowing stick in hand, he saw skeletons and skulls scattered along the floor somewhere lying in the dust, others were sitting against the walls. The room seemed to be some sort of mass holding cell for prisoners who had been dropped through the Judgment chamber and awaited guards to be escorted to their cell.

Walking gingerly across the sandy floor, John made his way up to the northern wall and examined the rust covered cast iron door; curiously he quietly tapped the tactical shotgun against it. He was suspiciously surprised to find that it was not only unlocked but his quiet tapping was slowly pushing it open with a rusty squeal.

Quietly, John inched the door open, wincing with each aged rusted squeal. When the door was finally cracked open enough to stick his head out he peeked out to see if there was anyone waiting for him.

Beyond the door was a long corridor of cells softly lit by torches that hung on each wall in between each cage. John shut off his glowing light and moved through the narrow hallway checking each cell.

Each cell had some sort of damage or marking left by a former tenant of the small living space. One cell had a chipped and cracked wall with impact points were the prisoner had hit it in an episode of mental break down. Another had hieroglyphic symbols or Arabic writings written in what looked like dried blood. Others had a mix of both.

When John reached the end of the hallway another rusted iron door was waiting for him. He once again opened it slowly to find another jaw dropping visual.

The hero walked on to a chain linked iron walkway that was part of a vast and extremely large circular room with levels upon levels of Cells and walkways. Each connected to another through twisted metal stairways separated on different levels.

"There must thirty stories!" John muttered as he found himself right smack in the middle.

He looked down at the bottom to find the scraped and faded symbol of the exact same double headed eagle as on the front gate, at the symbol the soldier once again gave it contempt with a shake of his head.

Leaning forward of over the railing and looking up top, John found a stone walkway supporting the top level instead of metal. With a sigh at the stairs the hero figured that that's where he would find what he was looking for.

Each creak and moan from the aged linked Iron floor that came with every step made John very tense as he made his assent to the top. It seemed like hundreds of years since someone had walked on top of the levels of the ancient prison in the bowels of the carved topless figure of Isis.

Something also irked the young man. For years John had been to some very dark and murderous places in the future, but he had always felt numbed to the surroundings. However this place, the Fortress, it brought out something unnatural something likened to pure evil. It was starting to occur to John Connor that throughout all of the battle fields and during his stint in Century Prison he had never been in a place in his entire life that had oozed such a feeling of soul sucking dread.

He had conquered several levels of the beast of a gauntlet, and was passing several nothing out of the ordinary cells when John stopped. A sudden feeling in his gut that he wasn't alone and should back up saved his life when an assassin's Crysknife nicked his cheek in the process of back peddling.

John's natural nature for combat kicked in immediately, like muscle memory, as he parried the next vertical strike with the midsection of his shotgun. As if in rhythm with some unheard of dance he used the barrel to slash the killer across the face sending him to the rail guard, spinning he slammed the butt of the gun into the assassin's face sending him over the edge to an eighteen story fall.

Another Assassin appeared several cells away and charged at him with knife in hand and a war cry on the breath. John pointed and pulled the trigger blowing the attacker several yards away. The boom of the shotgun echoed through the gigantic room giving it a metallic ring.

John racked the gun and waited for another attacker, but none came. Taking a second to compose himself he sighed and began walking again but this time on guard.

He had just stepped over the dead Assassin when he heard snapping and a roaring cascade of crashing below him. He quickly looked down to find the entire lower levels of the old walkway collapsing to the floor.

"They never let you have a good day!" John gasped a sigh slinging the shotgun over his shoulder and behind him as he began to run to the Stair case.

With a look of a mad man and the speed of one, John had run up and across three levels when he began to feel the sucking air from below his motorcycle boots.

Just as it was starting to become clear that he wasn't going to make it to safety a chain was lowered down from the top. John turned to look behind him noticing that he was barely in front of the collapsing circle. It was at that time that he realized that there was only time for blind faith in the chain.

Taking his chances, John jumped on the railing and from the railing, he leaped for the chain. He snatched it just in time and watched the place where he was just running crumble and fall below as he swung to and fro. He sighed in relief looking above to see the shadow of the red helmeted figure look down at him.

"_**Don't mistake this for anything more than me wanting to be the one who makes you pay."**_The figure shouted down at him.

John scoffed "Well if that's the case then why don't you pull me up so we can get to it!" he shouted over the racket of more levels collapsing. The helmeted figure only shook her head and disappeared.

"Of course!" John sighed angrily and began to pull himself up the chain slowly as the last of the levels of the walkways collapsed around him.

When John finally reached his goal, he gripped the stone walkway panting heavily before pulling himself up on top. He lied on the ground breathing heavily throwing his arm over his eyes for a moment before getting to his feet.

He pulled the shotgun back to ready position as he looked around. The top level was carved into the stone structure and was not connected to the metal levels below. There were no cells on the level and unlike the others the top level was only in a half circle with two doorways. In between was a stone alter carved into the wall. From the look of things John figured that this was the temple part of the fortress. John turned to the right deciding to try that door. However the roof seemed to have caved in front of it and a ton of ruble blocked it.

"Only one way to go…" John shrugged easily as if use to this sort of suspense and began walking toward the entrance to the door.

He pushed it open to find another torch filled room, but unlike any of the rooms in the fortress prison, this one was decorated opulently with ceremonial symbols and two rows of columns on each side of the room. A long soft red carpet ran in the middle like a river or a road. The carpet lead to another doorway that was blocked by a large throne and in that thrown sat a tall silver suit of medieval Knight's armor.

John frowned at it and walked forward following the crimson carpet toward the suit of yards from the throne the Knight snapped to attention with the sound of a metallic clank. John raised the shotgun as the armor stood to full height.

"Alright buddy I don't want to kill you so put your hands on your, head turn around, and step aside!" John ordered motioning his head to his right.

The knight stood still as if processing his words, then took a meaningful step forward toward him.

"This is your final warning then I'm going to cut you down" John shouted in Arabic. The knight this time took two steps forward.

BOOM!

John pulled the trigger and blasted the Knight in the chest. His armored opponent stumbled backwards at the force of the blast, but then after a small recovery it continued forward. Through the hole in the medieval armor in his chest John saw metal shielding.

"Son of Bitch!" John stumbled out, backing away as the knight's eyes glowed a deep red behind the visor.

BOOM!

John pumped and fired into the face. The helmet was sheared off like someone had taken scissors to it and when the Helm fell away it revealed the skull of a T-800 Terminator endoskeleton.

Now in range the T-800 lunged at John. Seeing the machine coming at him all of John's senses went into fight mode as he avoided the machines swing for his head with a diving forward role under the strike. The Terminator's fist decimated the column. John turned on a dime while he racked the shotgun and fired at the inner thigh of the endoskeleton. The sound of wiring and protesting mechanical clicks let John know that he had hit the servo that helped its leg use.

However the victory was small and short lasted as the 800 used its back hand to swipe John off to the side sending him to the ground and the shotgun skidding away.

The metal monster limped forward, snatching John off the floor by his face and lifting him high in the air. John reacted quickly he brought his boot across the machine's face making a metallic thunk, and then he wrapped his ankles around the Terminators neck. John twisted his body, flipping the unsteady machine off its feet and to the ground. However the move had its drawbacks as the T-800's sharp armored gauntlet that had John by the face carved a deep facial laceration into John's right eye, causing him to scream.

Once out of its grip John bit through the searing pain and rolled to the shotgun. Grabbing the weapon John jumped to his feet and advanced on the recovering machine. John fired two more shots knocking the Terminator to the floor again. The soldier soon stood over it aiming for the eye near the chip. He raked the weapon and pulled the trigger.

CLICK

John found that he had run out of shells. Just then a mechanical hand shot out and snatched the weapon while another punched John in the stomach sending him into a column. The force tipped the pillar slightly. John lied motionless and in pain staring up at the sinking column.

With a miserable cough he turned his head to see the T-800 unable to stand due to damage to its legs, so it began to crawl toward him. John turned his head back toward the pillar and saw that one brick was jabbed in the foundation and was all that was keeping it from collapsing.

Suddenly he had a plan.

The Terminator supporting it's self on one hand throw a swing at the former Resistance officer. However, at the last second John jabbed his foot in its arm socket, locking the arm just above his face.

John reached behind his head and gave a hard pull to the jammed brick unjamming it out of the foundation. As the column collapsed, the hero rolled out of the way Just in time to see the pillar smash headfirst into the Terminator, crushing its skull.

The Machine jolted and spazzed its arms and leg as the Terminator's eyes faded on and off. John used a column for support as he limped back to the other side of the room and regained his empty shotgun.

Feeling spent and disoriented John stumbled toward the next door. Feeling a sense of vertigo he fell forward on the door behind the throne which led to it being pushed open.

A rush of cold air hit him as he fell on all fours. Looking up John watched the purple and orange sky of the silent and peaceful sunrise of morning begins to spread over the golden desert and the surrounding area. With all of his will power he stumbled to his feet and half aware followed a smooth stone path that led to a platform hanging in the air. John deliriously followed it till he was on the platform.

But all that was waiting for him was a Jacket and a tank top. John dropped to his knees as he grabbed the jacket.

"Dirty bastards" John breathed collapsing face first into the tank top.

John was hit with the aroma that screamed Sarah Connor as he began to fade out of consciousness. He turned his head and noticed that he was looking at the carved face of Isis.

The platform he was collapsed on was in fact one of Isis's outstretched hands.

John's last memories were the Fresh and fruit like smell that had always made him feel safe.

* * *

"_Did you hear a word I said?" Alison asked poking her husband who was lying next to her._

"_I'm sorry Allie; I guess I was somewhere else." John apologized. _

"_You seem to be everywhere but here these days. I'm scared that one day you'll wake up and it will hit you I'm your wife." Allison laughed snuggling into his chest. John laughed slightly stroking her hair. _

"_I know who you are." John said with a sudden haunted face as if he was talking to himself. _

"_Say it like you mean it." Allison scooted up kissing him on the lips._

"_I know who you are Mrs. Allison Connor." John smiled kissing her nose. _

"_I love you." Allison said contently snuggling back into his chest. John watched her with a sad guilty face. _

"_Yeah … you too."_

* * *

John felt a terrible pain… everywhere as he woke. With a wince and a collection of shallow breaths he opened his heavy eye lids slowly feeling soft gauss medically tapped to his right eye.

The first sight he saw was slender hands holding open a book of New Orleans travel destinations over his face.

John blinked several times feeling the silky smooth surface of bare legs under his head. He tried to sit up but couldn't. He noticed that his trusty leather coat was draped over him like a blanket and he heard the sound of a plane engine.

"Welcome back." A familiar voice said to him. John saw the book close and loving brown eyes look down on him with a warm smile. It hurt to see them after his dream.

"I'm so sorry." John grunted out sadly. The girl only smiled and ran her hand over his cheek.

"It's okay John, I know you didn't mean it." She nodded. The words struck him deeply, though they weren't suppose too.

"Cameron…?" John asked squinting not sure if he was still dreaming.

"Yes John?" Cameron replied.

"I …I love you." John said with purpose and meaning, he never wanted to say those words without meaning ever again.

"I love you too." She responded without hesitation.

Her response made him feel like all the heart ache and tragedy he went through to get her back was well worth it despite the soul consuming guilt of the trail of bodies of loved ones that followed their romance.

He blinked and locked eyes with Cameron. "How did you find me?" John asked having the incident in the Assassins fortress come rushing back to him.

"Mr. Ellison saw you and alerted me to your where about." Cameron answered.

"What happened?" John asked reaching a bandaged hand out taking her cheek in it. She took his hand and pressed it against her face.

"After you fell into the trap door the red helmeted woman caved every path except the entrance. I lost Goodwin and Abbud in the cave. Their chance of survival was not great." Cameron said without emotion.

"Huh, you know …I don't feel that bad about it." John said with a shrug.

"He did love and want to marry Sarah." Cameron added.

"Angel, there is a difference between love and obsession, and the man had an obsession of Phantom of the Opera proportions." John said with a chuckle. "So you how'd you find me?" John turned his head in her lap.

"After I cleared a path Mr. Ellison shouted over that you were on the hand so I followed your trail till I reached you. The chain was most difficult." John smiled at her last Comment.

"Yeah that was a bitch to climb." John scoffed.

"Yes…bitches whore even." Cameron added.

"You burn the 800?" John asked.

"Yes, though we don't have to worry it was a reengineered version of a T-800 not Skynet built. It had twenty six structural flaws." Cameron explained.

"It was simpler to destroy than usual … So someone did a poor job of rebuilding it?" John asked

"Piss poor." Cameron added again causing John to laugh slightly.

"We better keep our eyes open babe." John said sitting up with the gentle help of Cameron.

His wife watched him pensively a moment before she spoke. "John … back in the audience chamber, you seemed to know who this "Red Mask" is …" Cameron's voice of curiosity made John clear his throat.

John nodded. "I knew a Red Mask … in the future I knew someone who use to were that outfit and persona, but whoever is in that motorcycle fetish costume isn't who it was in the future, she's dead." He seemed to be lost in thought.

Cameron tilted her head. "Who was she." She pushed.

John leaned back into Cameron's arms. "Savannah … Savannah Weaver, she uh … she went nuts sometime before I arrived in the future. She had a brain tumor or something, she went psychotic, started to kill people and conduct experiments. She wanted to get Mom's attention, to show her that she was to be taken serious." He explained.

"Did Sarah Kill her?'

John shook his head. "No, Reese did … on mom's orders."

The cabin got quiet at the mention of the name. Cameron knew that John and Derek even more, didn't like to talk about Reese Connor. It was often said by both soldiers to her when she brought up the gag order about future events in Sarah's presence that it was too dangerous and that if Sarah had found out about Reese and more importantly what had happened to her unborn child in the future there might be a chance that he would never exist. But Cameron knew that the real reason was because the death of a close family member was something that John never wanted to get into details about, especially after what human traitors had done to the body of the war hero after his death.

A complementing clap echoed through the cabin that ended the silence. "Christ, and here I thought you were dead." Ellison called coming from behind a curtain.

"Hey Jim! Now taking the lord's name in vein is a sin." John mocked happy to avoid the subject Cameron brought up.

"Very true but having to deal with your crap all the time… I think the Holy Father can cut me some slack." Ellison laughed giving John a friendly and somewhat relived pat on the shoulder.

"Where are we headed?" John asked

"The Big Easy." Ellison answered.

"New Orleans?" John asked

"There was an invitation in the inner pocket of Derek's jacket to a theme party on a River Boat to an old plantation mansion outside of the city." Cameron answered.

"In that case it's time to pay a visit to the Gumblia Gypsy." John sighed.

* * *

**The John's middle name bit has been in my head before this story had ever been conceived.**

**Alright John and Sarah's ages have been messed with. John is 25 in reality due to him spending several years in the future looking for Cameron, and serving as the commanding officer in the resistance, Plus the two years since they left Sarah and Derek's house. **

**I'm using Sarah's age from T2 in which she was 29 so she would be 31 in the pilot plus two years since John and Cameron Left making her 33. So Sarah and John will no longer look like mother and son but more like younger brother and older sister.**

**Reese Connor and the missing baby in chapter one are linked **


	5. Gumbila Gypsy

**Gumblia Gypsy**

It's the smell that John hated the most about the swamps outside of New Orleans, That sewage water stench that use to leave his twelve and fourteen year old nose numbed for days.

An old army jeep crunched and crackled down the narrow gravel road as it made its way through the woodland swamp of Louisiana, navigating with the help of the bright moonlight playing hide and seek with the thick trees that huddled together on the humid night.

John watched the sunken trees and logs that stuck out of the muddy water as they rushed by, lost in memories of his younger days in those same woods and swamps always imagining he was somewhere else.

"Who is this Zahn?" Cameron asked snapping her Husband out of his daze

"He's a Magician and Illusionist; he's famous here in New Orleans. If there is a huge party that needs some entertainment, then Zahn is their man." John answered.

"This man is a friend?" Cameron asked turning into a road that took them deeper into the darkening and stale smelling forest that now blotted out the full moon.

The soldier lean back and turned to his wife, watching her hair stream behind her head perfectly. "Rafael Zahn taught mom and me escape artistry; in fact Mom was his assistant for two separate years." John smiled fondly seeing an old rundown looking house coming closer to them as they entered a small clearing.

The old southern gothic plantation style mansion like house was old and decrepit with a stained off white paint job and rotted looking wood. Its foundation was up on stilts that where dug into the swamp water below. There was a tall wood staircase that led to a front porch that had two lit lanterns hanging on either side of a door, a gang of moths harassed and gathered around the oil lanterns. On the front door of the house was a plank hammered onto the entrance with words painted in red.

**MAMA D's VODO & SPITURAL SUPLIES**

Cameron parked the Jeep in front of the stairs. Both sat and stared quietly at the rickety old plantation house.

John wiggled his eye brows at Cameron who studied the house apprehensively. "Let's go" He nudged Cameron, opening the door with a creek and stepping on the gravel. Cameron looked the house over again with a tightening of her cheek then got out.

The sound of crickets and cicadas chirping swirled around them as they crunched across the parking lot and on the stairs. The sound of insects seemed to have caught Cameron's fascination as she followed John up the stairs making loud squeaking steps as they climbed.

"There are eighty different bugs chirping in a mile radius." Cameron stated as if it was something amazing to behold.

"Yeah it's amazing till you try sleeping with them going on like that all night." John snorted opening the door with a loud creak and ushering Cameron inside.

The house's lobby was large and encompassing. It had four large rows of shelves with walking path splitting the four shelves into two sections. The paths led to a counter with a register and jars with different colored soupy liquid in them. Behind the counter was a back parlor room with a Yellow curtain covering the doorway. Next to the counter was spiral staircase leading to a balcony that overlooked the entire lobby below. On the second floor was a row of five different doors.

The couple began to stray as the items on the shelves caught their interest as they walked toward the counter. Cameron in particular seemed to silently be amused by one of the jarred objects on the shelves.

"John this was a real rat." Cameron pointed to a glass jar with a curious tilt of her head.

"Yeah, well if you think that's weird you should see the last row by the wall over there." John said joining his companion as they stared at a rat jammed in a water filled pickle jar.

The girl frowned in confusion as she observed the dead object. "What is the purpose of keeping dead mammals in jars?" Cameron asked turning toward John.

John snorted at her "I'm not a Witch Doctor, so don't ask me babe." He shrugged taking her hand and leading her away from the shelves.

Just as they reached the front counter the sound of blowing through a tube snapped John into action grabbing Cameron by the waist and pulling her out of the way and into his arms as a dart barely missed her nose sticking into the wood shelf.

"CARL!" a Haitian female's voice boomed from a back room. Immediately a large Black woman in an African tribal patterned dress and a white turban burst through the yellow curtain and stormed to a cage hanging over the register.

Inside the cage sat a light brown furred monkey in a red vest. The monkey had a blow dart in its hand and squealed, jumping up and down as if laughing at the married couple. "Ya stupid mon'key!" the Woman boomed. When she reached the cage she lifter her hand and unclenched her fist, then she blew lightly on her palm, blowing some gold dust in the monkey's face.

Staggering on its perch on a bird swing It made a hypnotic cue, then with a painful thump it collapsed face first on the bottom of the cage. "Ya don't be shootin at teh customers." The woman chastised the fallen mammal.

"I see the monkeys still out of his mind." John called letting go of Cameron and walking toward the woman.

"Insanity is all prospective." The woman answered with her back toward them as she cleaned her hands with a bar towel.

"I guess to a certain degree." He shrugged.

"So, what can I offer ya kids today?" the woman asked turning around and sitting on a stool behind the register. The woman glanced at John and Cameron for a second then gave John a good look over.

"Well, well if it don't be little Johnny Connor." The woman laughed standing up and walking over to John giving him a large bear hug. John returned the hug with a grunt when his back popped.

"Let me look at ya … grown up all handsome." The woman pinched John's stubbly cheek. When she saw the medical covering around his eye she clicked her tongue with displeasure. "I see your mama still be gettin ya into trouble." The woman frowned grabbing and turning his chin as she examined the bandaged scar across his eye.

"Some things don't change Dee." John smiled at the comment removing her hand and stepping away from her.

"And who this be with ya?" She turned toward Cameron who had been watching the exchange with great interest.

"Dee this is my wife Cameron. Cameron this is Damiria, this woman is practically family." John placed an arm around Cameron.

"Married! Ya married?" Dee shouted looking at Cameron then back at John. She immediately struck him in the back of the head.

"And I guess my invitation just got lost in teh mail!" she angrily yelled at both Connors.

John stepped back and rubbed his head sorely. "It was a spur of the moment thing Dee, Mom doesn't even know yet." He replied quickly at the enraged woman.

There was silence for a second. "Well then… congratulations and thank god for ya! Cause we was worried for a while…" Dee laughed again this time she grabbed the beautiful girl and pulled her into a large and tight embrace.

"Worried about what?" John asked watching Cameron give a pensive reaction to the friendly gesture she wasn't use to from anyone but John.

"That ya be livin in Kentucky." Dee said awkwardly still hugging Cameron as if she was had just saved her life.

"…and why would you think I was living in Kentucky!?" John cleared his throat, then gritted his teeth as if he knew what she was getting at.

The robust woman shifted uncomfortably at the question. "Well there was a lot of tension between you and you know who … and we all thought the worst after no word for ten years." She replied letting go of Cameron who seemed to be engaged in the conversation.

The cyborg turned back to her husband "Who is this person?" Cameron asked John with interest, once again she felt like she was missing something.

Crossing his arms, John shook his head in disbelief. "Don't worry about it Angel, Dee has just been living in the boondocks too long." He said clearly irritated.

"It be my mistake, I'm sorry." Dee shot her hand in the air. "So what brings ya here this evening?" she attempted to change the subject as quick as possible.

Rubbing his scruffy chin thoughtfully, John looked serious for a moment. "We need to talk to Rafael." The soldier said letting the previous conversation go.

At the mention of the name Dee looked at John sadly and struggled with words so she motioned them behind the counter.

"Johnny … Rafael died some year back." Dee said quietly placing a hand on his shoulder.

Stricken by the statement he frowned sadly "…how?" John asked looking depressed.

"He always had problems with him heart, especially after him wife _Jennifer _died." She said wistfully

John shook his head as Dee spoke, not sure what to say. "He was a good man" he sighed sadly

"He missed you and Sarah a lot. You where his favorite student"

A soft musical southern belle accented voice called from the staircase. Everyone turned and looked up toward to the source.

A young woman in her late early twenties stood in the middle of the stairs. She had brilliant blue eyes and long soft black hair that ran the almost length of her perfectly slender upper body. She was tanned and wore a black bikini top and short blue jean shorts.

Seeing the face of the woman John took a moment before he finally spoke. "I think we were his second favorite students." He nodded with a friendly pirate grin.

"He was bias" she smiled softly. The exotic woman gracefully descended down the stairs till she reached them.

"It's been a long time." John said looking the young lady over hardly believing what he was seeing.

The woman nodded "Too long." She said pulling John into a long and intimate hug that was clearly a sign that the two had some real history to their relationship.

John brought his lips to her ear gently "I'm sorry about your father Anna." He said in a soft gentile tone running a hand up and down her bare back comfortingly. She breathed softly nuzzling her nose into his neck gripping the cotton material of his dark blue T-shirt.

Suddenly a loud moaning creak followed by a snap broke the moment. Everyone turned their head to Cameron, who though had a pleasant face had bent off a part of the counter. John smiled at her reaction and sighed, while everyone else seemed a bit frightened.

Chuckling, the soldier shook his head. "Anna … this is my wife Cameron. Cameron this is Anna Zahn, she's Rafael's daughter and apprentice." John peeled himself from Anna and backed out of her personal space.

"I heard that you got hitched." Anna stuck her hand out toward Cameron. The cyborg stared at her hand for a long moment, then took it, shaking it with what counted as a machine like passive aggressive hand shake. When Anna began to wince at the grip John elbowed his wife with a small frown. Cameron continued to smile like a living doll as she let go.

"That's one hell of a grip your bride's got, Irish." Anna shook the circulation back into her hand.

"So I've heard." John shot Cameron a reproachable glare causing her to flash a blank unapologetic look.

There was short awkward silence between the three as it was clear that Cameron didn't like the carefree touching that Anna was doing with her husband, feeling as if the woman was treating her like she didn't exist.

Always intuitive, Dee caught on to Cameron's problem and turned to the toned young woman. "Now what have I been tellin ya bout dressin like that girl!" she chastised looking Anna up and down.

The dark haired woman scoffed dismissively at the maternal scolding "Come on Dee it's my down time … plus it's not like where teenagers anymore." Anna gestured to John who seemed to be staring at her bare stomach before catching himself. The older woman gave her a disapproving look but said nothing.

"Anna, are you still running the family business?" John asked getting back on track.

The woman struck a pose confidently. "Oh yeah, and let me tell you it's never been better." She winked pointing to a poster on the wall. The poster had a picture of Anna in a sexy sleek black leotard and stockings with a tuxedo shirt and jacket and top hat, she was striking the same pose in the poster that she was currently.

"Though I don't think I can pull that sleek sexy look off like your mom can." Anna sighed ruefully. "Speaking of which how is that MILF of a ball and chain of yours." She wiggled her eyes at him in a playful, but still suggestive manner.

John glared at her insinuating comment. "We need to talk." John said seriously.

"Okay … sure." Anna frowned at the seriousness of his statement.

Turning, the young man turned to Cameron and the older black lady. "Dee, you don't mind if we barrow a room for the night?" John asked.

"No, it'll even be on teh house." Dee winked at John and Cameron. The two shared a look.

"Dee can you show Cameron the room while me and Anna talk some things over?" John asked. Cameron suddenly gave Anna a suspicious and dirty look.

Seeing the displeasure on the youngest person in the rooms face, Dee nudged the teen. "Come on baby girl, it's over here." Dee said cheerfully throwing a maternal arm around Cameron leading her up the stairs.

When they were gone, Anna snorted at Cameron's reaction and motioned John to follow shaking her butt mockingly. John just shook his head at her and followed.

Anna led John behind the counter and through the yellow curtain to a office with a desk, three chairs, a computer, and many pictures on the wall.

"So look at you all growed up and rugged like." She teased dropping into one of the guest's chairs in front of the desk.

"And look at you fitting two of the names in the Cher song about gypsies." John snorted mockingly looking at her attire.

"Mmm … You know you love it, Irish." She said seductively moaning lightly.

He shook his head and wandered around the office "Oh, yeah let me tell you…" John scoffed looking at old pictures.

Seeing that he wasn't taking the bait she pushed a button she knew he wouldn't let pass. "So! Since you're married and all that I guess you did something about that "Tension" and moved on." Anna said coyly.

"Oh, not you too." John groaned

"Hey I give you credit, if I was a Teenage boy and had someone who looked that hot in stockings and nylon and was around me **all the time. **I wouldn't mind hill folk life if I got to tap that every day." she said with a playful wink showing him a picture on the desk.

The Picture was that of Sarah Connor in the same outfit as Anna in the poster, yet it seemed if at all possible that the sexy getup fit on Sarah more naturally than Anna.

He looked at the pictured with an annoyed frown as the dark haired woman hummed a burlesque tune making the picture of Sarah dance.

"You know sometimes I think … why don't I visit Anna more often? Then you say and do thing like that." John said sarcastically sniffing a milk bottle with dark liquid inside.

Laughing she pulled the picture back and stared at it fondly. "It's just you guys where close … I mean really close. So close it was like you were a married couple and everything" Anna pushed.

"Hey, you were pretty close to your old man." John slumped down into the office chair behind the desk and drank some of the liquid.

"Hey Irish! I wasn't the one who shared a bed." She said defensively shaking the sexy picture at him.

He glared at the comment. "First of all it wasn't my fault that there was only one bed in our room. Second and most importantly, no one in their right mind is going to sleep on the floors here." John shot back, swigging the bottle again, and then snatching the picture out of her hand.

"Touché" Anna conceded.

There was silence for several moments as she watched John stare at the picture with remorse. He smiled sadly at the shy by flirty smile on the face of his mother who had only been out of Pescadero for seven months when the picture was taken.

"So … you still close?" Anna tilted her head.

He cleared his throat and shook his head regretfully "No, not anymore." John said quietly.

"… Shame," Anna sighed. "I guess she doesn't approve of the other female in the Connor clan." She motioned to the ring on John's finger.

"Yeah, but Cameron is only one of many things." John said sadly.

Anna's tone was sympathetic. "From what I remember you guys seemed to agree on almost everything. You were like connected psychically." The woman waved her hands in a playful mysterious way.

He gave her a pirate grin. "We use to be that way, and then after a while it just seemed that she was boxing me in, keeping me away from real life." John scoffed staring at the picture.

"Then what happened?" Anna put her feet up.

"Then, Cameron came." John smiled fondly.

"Sarah wig?"

"No, it was a mostly a silent rage."

"So she got angry because you didn't honor Mom's before broads?." Anna snickered at her small joke.

John scoffed at himself with disappointment. "It wasn't just Cameron. No, it was mostly … Well to tell you the truth I'm still not sure what exactly I did, but I made some mistakes, _a long time ago_ and I guess I hurt her really badly." John said darkly.

Anna founded it interesting at the poignant use of a long time ago. "How long?" She asked.

John sighed. "Back in 1983 …" He gave her a serious look.

There was a moment of silence.

"Yeah sure!" She chuckled at his face. John smiled slightly and drank some more from the bottle.

"I guess something about the war changed who I was … and now she doesn't look at me the same way anymore." He continued.

"You fought in the war?" Anna seemed surprised for a moment then gave him a good hard look. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, you and Sarah always knew more about firearms and martial arts then a Navy Seal."

"When I got home I guess we just couldn't adjust to how much I changed. You know I saw things, terrible things and … Mom tried to treat it like nothing had changed at first." John said tiredly.

"But, things just weren't the same." Anna finished.

"Have you ever been a stranger in your own home, to your own family?" John said sadly.

"No, not really, but then the only fight I ever been in was in middle school and you helped me out of it." Anna smiled trying to cheer John up a little. The two shared a quiet moment.

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

John and Anna turned from their conversation to find Cameron standing in the doorway. She was changed out of her casual button down and jeans and into a small camisole and tight short Silk night shorts.

"Angel, you change?" John said with a knowing smile.

"It's late." Cameron gracefully strode next to John.

"It's ten o'clock" Anna said checking the clock radio next to the computer.

"It's late for me." Cameron said pleasantly, sitting across John's lap.

* * *

"I'm sorry."

Anna looked worried as replied sadly after John told her the story of Sarah and Derek's kidnapping.

"Yeah …well." Was all John replied to her statement, downing the rest of the bottle of Rum.

"What can I do to help?" Anna asked John and Cameron looking serious.

"The Kidnappers left a clue …" Cameron handed the folded Invitation to Anna. The woman stared at it with a curious frown, her eyes scanning the piece of paper.

"Yeah, I got this too. It's a theme party ….uh, 1940's maybe." She thought out loud.

"What's the occasion?" John asked.

The magician tossed down the invitation. "They're opening a new river boat casino. I got paid to do an act or two for the party goers." Anna began rummaging through papers on the desk.

"Do you have a map?" Cameron asked politely.

"Yeah…here" Anna tossed a folded map at Cameron.

Determined not to leave John's lap in the presence of the scantily clad woman, Cameron neatly unfolded the map and began to scan it through her HUD, downloading it into her neural network. After a moment of calculations she shifted in her husband's lap to get his attention. "Here, this is the root to the mansion from its launching point." Cameron ran her finger over blue line.

"What's the time on the distance?" John readjusted himself looking from over Cameron's shoulder. She was silent for several beats processing the information.

"An hour." Cameron answered turning her head to look at him.

"Found it!" Anna shouted holding up an invoice.

"Who's the bank roller?" John asked.

"Claire Connor… relative?" Anna said looking up from the paper.

"Coincidence" John leaned back in the chair.

"How are we going to get inside the Gala without being clocked by the security?" Cameron turned back to John. He shrugged tiredly.

"I got an idea" Anna gave an evil genius grin.


	6. Down at the Twist and Shout

**Down at the Twist and Shout**

The night was clear and cool as the full New Orleans moon looked over the misted dark bayou water that added an eerie light to the cloud covered water below.

In the breezy night outside the city of jazz and backstreet deals a long tall Steamboat left a well-lit and exclusive dock, making a light sloshing noise as its large back wheel turned the river boat on its course down the disguised Mississippi.

Inside were people, but just not any people, New Orleans elite. They sat in small circles around the gambling tables, rolling red dice, tossing suspicious stares at one another hiding their poker and black jack hands. The masters and players all dressed in vintage 1940's dresses and tuxes, the women were trying to emulate a Greta Garbo or Rita Hayworth and every man trying to pull off their best Clark Gable or channel a Humphrey Bogart.

The inside of the wheel boat was done up in classic 1860's style. Wood floors and walls had a thick coat of newly painted on classic white wash. The large luxurious and accommodating main deck was separated into three neat sections.

The first was located at the entrance which housed a fleet of gambling tables, with every game that made a gambler's wile, poker, black jack, Craps, and of course it wasn't a party without roulette. The second section consisted of a large group of round tables that had five seats around them. Each table had assortments of flower centerpieces, plates, and silverware placed neatly in front of them, each had a tag with the name of each guest who received an Invite to the exclusive party. The third section was a well sized wooden stage that was draped by red curtains. A hidden band in the back played light parlor jazz as the guest gambled or chatted at the tables. The rank smell the way of underhanded deals and gossip whiffed through the crowded and loud deck.

Suddenly like a prophet cutting through the Red Sea with his staff a distinctive piano began a slow jazzy tune that was soon accompanied by a trumpet that followed the slow beat giving it a noir like sound. Then a soft almost enchanting voice began to echo lyrics to the music, like the sweet mummer of a midnight promise. The voice was beautiful and seductive enticing the crowd to gather toward the dining tables like sailors to a siren.

After several stanzas the curtains opened in a swift sweeping motion, behind the drapes stood a work of feminine perfection. She had beautiful brown eyes flecked with gold and smooth, clear, sun kissed skin. She was in a tight fitting crimson gown that outlined every perfect curve and slender muscle on her body. Her shimmering curled brunet hair was draped over one of her naked shoulders. She grasped the microphone with her white opera gloved hand. The young woman enchanted and awed the crowed with her almost flawless pitch and vocals. Entrancing and keeping them transfixed on her.

One person however was not glued to the Goddess.

He was tall and built and wore a white tuxedo jacket and black tie and trousers. He had on a brown fedora that covered his Scarred face. John Connor kept his eyes transfixed not on his beautiful wife singing, but on the railing of the second level, which had a row of private rooms that had large burly guards in matching purple striped Zuit suits, with long feathers poking out of their violet fedoras. They had an ease to them while they patrolled the walkways observing the commotion below.

As John passed the bar off to the side he lightly touched his hat in greeting to the older bald black bartender, who nodded back, motioning to the stage. John put up his hand, telling James Ellison to be more patient as he passed. As the song began to finish and the last of the jazz trio launched into the final musical solo, John sat at a place designated to a Mr. J. Reese.

When the song finished on the last trumpet solo the crowd erupted in cheers and stood clapping as Cameron bowed with a sweet smile that had everyone eating out of her palm.

Suddenly the lights cut out except for the fluorescents on the stage. Then there was a scream or two when a loud crack of a small explosion erupted on the stage behind Cameron. White smoke hazed the stage for several moments till a feminine silhouette appeared next to the singer.

"Yes, please give it up to my ravishing Assistant Sarah for her lovely rendition of Worrisome Heart!" A familiar voice called to the audience.

Anna stood out of the haze dressed in her sexy magicians outfit. "That's one hot way to open a show… huh guys!" Anna winked at John when she slapped Cameron on the butt causing some whooping from the audience. John shot her a warning glare about getting to cute, while Cameron gave her an edgy curious look.

"But I digress." Anna walked away from Cameron at the range of looks which told her teasing Cameron didn't bode well for her future. "First of all I welcome all of you to the new casino on the Mississippi!" Anna shouted in a show men's voice, gesturing to the large deck. There was a round of courteous applause from the audience in the room.

Anna threw her hands in the air "Lastly and most importantly … I want all of you to have some… fun!" suddenly a Sign caught on fire tracing the words "Zahn" behind her

John watched the show with a nostalgic smile. It had been many years since he last been to one of the Zahn's Magic shows.

Back then he and Anna would sit in the front row close to the stage, watching while the classic looking magician in his top hat and tuxedo known as Rafael "The Gumblia Gypsy" Zahn would cut his beautiful assistant Sarah in half. It was one of many and many other such tricks and illusions that other magicians could only dream of doing. While watching the young boy realized there was never going to be another one quite like that slightly touched old man.

However on the down side, John was never quite sure why his mother had to dress the way she did on stage. She wore tight spandex short shorts with stockings over her long legs; she also wore a tuxedo shirt and tails with her very own top hat. But when asked about it all Dee would say to him was

_"A man is fool with him money when a woman's leg is bare."_

To this analogy John was never comfortable with her exploitation. But all his worrying and uncomfortable feelings went away when he started to notice that Sarah seemed to enjoy her time as the sexy assistant, the role almost brought her a sense of freedom from the normal oppression of being the mother of the future. So John never questioned the matter, especially when it involved something that made his best and sometimes only friend happy.

The show was different with Anna at the helm, but it was still very entertaining, she didn't try to emulate her father, which something John had to respect about it. But John didn't seem to put too much thought into it, cause for all the new stuff and the mission at hand… John still couldn't keep his eyes off Cameron who would give him a loving smile when he caught her eye.

John checked his watch before he snorted at Cameron who was now lying on in a box as Anna attempted the sawed in half illusion that took an hour to explain yesterday.

"_Cameron we're not really going to saw you in half." _

"_I know you're not, because that saw is inadequate for such a task." _

"_Angel, it's a trick … an illusion"_

"_Sarah says that our love is an illusion …" _

"_Yeah well, mom also used to say that Belle from Beauty and the Beast had Stockholm Syndrome, So it wasn't true love and the beast should be a rug in front of a fireplace. This is also coming from a woman who thinks strangers who get lost in rural New England get Sacrificed in its small towns to their fertility god, Thomas Kinkaid. So … let's not get carried away with the gospel according to Sarah Connor."_

John smiled as he watched Cameron pull off the trick perfectly. He clapped along with the audience feeling a small rush of adrenalin as Cameron slipped unnoticed backstage.

"And for my next trick I'll… Sarah?" Anna looked around the stage. "Oh Sarah …!" Anna walked off stage then back on. "Well how do you like that, I seemed to have lost her." Anna put her hands on her hips and sighed playfully, with pouty lips. There was a small murmur of laughter from the crowd.

"I think I'll need some help from a volunteer!" she called to the audience. "Let's see here …hmmm… you'll do just fine." She scanned the crowd methodically before stopping on John.

The crowd cheered and whistled as John humbly stood and walked to the stage. When he got there he stood next to Anna.

"Can I have your name sir?" Anna asked with a flirty swagger.

"Reese, John Reese." John answered with a tip of his hat, making some of the women in the audience give wolf whistles.

"Well Mr. Reese if you could be such a gentleman as to help poor little ole me find my gal pal I'd be much obliged." Anna spoke with an outrageous southern accent.

"I can try ma'am." John played along, causing the audience to laugh.

Wondering around the expansive stage, he hit all his spots as he searched in vain for Cameron.

"Well I guess we'll have to summon her won't we!" Anna sighed pulling out a black and white liquorish wand. John walked several paces to the designated spot looking on.

She brandished her wand with large over arcing swishes "A show like this, I'd hate for her to miss it, so we can finish it, bring back my assistant!" when she was done she pointed the black and white stick at John.

Another smoke filled explosion echoed in the room causing a groan of wonder from the audience and through the haze Cameron reappeared.

But John was gone.

* * *

The Young man hit the wood floor with a thud as the trap door closed above him. He could hear the audience clap and cheer at the reappearance of his wife.

"_When this all over, maybe I should get Cam into show business?" _

John thought as he crawled through the tight, splinter filled, wooden box tunnel under the stage.

After a slow, frustrating crawl through close quarters, John reached a dead end where a square door with a brass handle stood. Huffing he squeezed his arm in front of him and reached out, turning the stubborn handle. However the brass handle groaned in protest and the door wouldn't budge.

"Of course." John scoffed taking a deep breath.

The outside of the closed off part of the deck was quiet and pristine, complimented with the sound of sloshing water that gave it an extra added relaxing and gentle peaceful quality.

BANG!

A fist wrapped in a white jacket went through an outlined square on the lower part of the wall near the guard railing.

Fighting his way out of the hole in the wall, John tumbled on the splintered wood now scattered on the deck. Rolling on the splinters a moment stretching his arms out, he stood up, brushing off before throwing on the tux jacket again.

He gave a good look around, trying to find what had been in the plans, but after a moment he saw the gutter pipe.

"_All right I'm where I need to be." _

Rubbing his hands together, John climbed on to the guard railing and paused for a beat timing himself before he jumped, catching the gutter. He moved his dangling body with his hands, balancing his weight with his powerful upper body till he reached the gutter pipe. With a deep nasal breath, he used the pipe as a foot catch. Expertly John swung himself over the second floor railing, landing on his feet in a crouching position.

Each room on the second floor had a glass door with a velvet curtain for privacy. With quiet stealth, John cautiously took light steps, peering inside rooms from the shadows, checking each dark empty room with the moonlights help. A rush of adrenaline once again coursed through his veins as the closest room to the exit/entrance door had the curtains drawn and the lights on.

He stopped all momentum and strained to make out shadow through the linen curtains, but much to his disappointment he couldn't find anything concrete.

"_Surprise will have to do." _

Taking a deep breath he charged through the glass door and dived into the half lit bedroom, meant for private conversations and sex meant for the upmost discretion. Rolling to his feet, John was ready to fight.

But the simple problem was that there was no one to greet him for a fight.

"Jesus Harold Christ on rubber crunches!" John growled in frustration at the nothingness inside the room.

The room was small with one bed, desk, and chair. The former soldier walked to the desk and found a map with mountain topography. He scanned it for a minute before folding it and placing it in his inner tuxedo pocket. Next, he walked to the bed and saw the dark bedspread was wrinkled with an indention where someone had been laying. He knelt next to it and traced the outline.

"_120 pounds, 5 foot…" _John smelled the pillow. Smelling the fruity sent he knew anywhere

"Mom…" he hissed and looked to the front door. John rushed from the floor and through the front door without giving himself a moment to think about what was waiting for him outside.

"Oh crap!"

John found that he was now sandwiched between four Zuit suited guards who found his presence just as surprising as he found theirs. There was a beat of confusion before all of the guards drew Crysknifes and slowly advanced on John.

Looking from right to the left John was about to retreat back into the room when saw that several black clad Assassins advancing from the busted open glass door.

Turning his head to the large crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, John tilted his head.

"_This is going to be other really awesome …or incredibly stupid." _

Not giving himself time to give the thought too much pondering, he took off in a sprint, juking one of the Assassins before leaping on the railing. Then, again without overanalyzing his next move John gave a diving jump off the railing and grabbed onto the chandelier, just missing a swipe of a blade.

There was a scream or two from bellow as he swung on the crystal and golden lit chandelier, each time he swung near the railing, the assassins slashed at him and when he swung back away they tried to throw the knives at him, like a perverse shooting gallery at a carnival. Not waiting around for one of the killers to win the prize, John let go and dropped back to the ground floor.

His vision was a bit blurred after he fell, crashing through a dining table. He got to wobbly feet as he heard people around him step back. However, Things got a whole lot fuzzier when a burly man covered in sauce and wearing his steak decked him in the face.

From the ground John saw a Crimson blur shove the man in the air landing him several yards away into another table full of surly looking men.

* * *

Spicy Cajun music played over the commotion of women screaming, people punching, and chairs breaking.

John ducked at a fist from an overweight black man taking aim it his head. He countered by delivering a trained kick to his Solar Plexus dropping him to the ground. Seeing from his right eye another person coming at him John expertly blocks a punch at his jaw. A flying chair crashes into the man's back sending him to the ground.

"I swear Connor …you and your hobbies!" Ellison yelled over the commotion running up from where he threw the chair.

"Where's Cameron?" John shouted.

From afar one of the Assassins that at one time had been chasing John was launched across the room smashing his head against the beam on the roof before falling on top of a group of comrades. The action made John and Ellison pause a moment and trade a look.

"I could answer, but it would be rhetorical." Ellison said flatly to John.

With a shake of his head, John took the lead as both men fought their way to Cameron, who was in the middle of pounding another Assassin with her fists like a Jack Hammer to the floor.

"John … I'm feeling a warm sensation and enhanced endorphins from this situation!" Cameron called calmly.

John smiled despite the press of bodies and chaos around them. "It's called being in your first bar fight, Angel …" he laughed.

"Hey Irish, your girls one hell of a scrapper!"

Anna appeared seemingly out of nowhere riding the back of one of the Zuit Suit Assassins. Her forearm was locked around his neck as he thrashed about trying to buck her off.

John rushed up and delivering a knockout punch to the Assassin then pulled Anna in his arms. "Yeah … there are more things that could surprise me …" He said to her with a grunt.

The two shared a moment while John had her. That was until a fist hit Anna square in the face.

"Cameron!" John shouted as Anna let out a whimpered moan and was out cold.

"Sorry, I didn't check my target." Cameron said with a ghost of a smile.

Her husband shot her a knowing look. "Dammit girl!" John growled with exasperation, slinging Anna over his shoulder. "Tell me we have the getaway boat following us." John gasped at Ellison.

"Yeah … it should be following." Ellison checked his watch.

With an irritated gruff sigh at not being able to win again, John pointed Anna's top hat in his hand to the double doors. The three went through the doors into the hazy night where the Brawl had followed.

Men and woman on top of the deck were punching and throwing one another into the fog bellow. Stepping cautiously around the brawls, the small group avoided the fights till they reached a clearing on the boat. Turning to the west, Ellison pulled out a red lighted flashlight. Counting under his breath he flicked it on and off three times.

From the shadows of the clouded night a fan boat plowed out of a swampy tree line masked by weeping willows. Dee pulled up right next to the deck where the group waited anxiously. Hurriedly, they all piled on to the rocking boat as the wheel ship seemed to start drifting off course and suddenly disappear into the fog.

"Did ya get your Mama and Uncle?" Dee asked as they doubled back the way they came.

"No." John said with a frustrated sigh, running his hand through his spiked hair.

"Don't worry Johnny ya get them back." Dee said with a off handed maternal voice.

John saw a horrified Ellison looking at Cameron as the girl struggled with something behind her. John quickly turned to Cameron who kept trying to reach back to get something.

"Ho shit!" John jumped as a Butchers knife was embedded in Cameron's bare back.

"What is it?" Dee called from the wheel.

"There is a big ass …" Ellison said in shock

"Alligator! There is a big ass alligator out there!" John covered, kicking Ellison. Both cussed at each other mouthing their argument.

After a beat John moved silently toward Cameron as not to draw attention to his movements, then quietly, John pulled the knife out Cameron's back and covered her and the glinting metal endoskeleton under the cut flesh.

* * *

John sat slumped in the office chair at Anna's desk staring at the map he had found in the room. He ditched the Tux Jacket and shirt and kept the White under shirt, Black trousers, and shoes.

"You still up?" Anna asked. She tried to pretend that she wasn't posing for John draped in a smooth black robe.

"Yeah…" John nodded studying the topography of an atlas, not seeming to notice her outfit.

With a playful glare she sighed loudly with a flare of drama and padded behind John looking at the map. "Afghanistan … you couldn't have started with a smaller Asian country?" Anna joked. John gave her a small smile resting his nose on a closed fist, leaning back. He could feel Anna lean closer into him when he did so. He knew she must think that the action was an innovation.

Looking around a moment, like someone who was about to do something sneaky, she spoke to John "Hey where's slugger?" Anna asked making a punching motion to her jaw.

John snorted at the nickname and leaned forward toward the map again. "Cameron went with Jim to see if they could pick up any air chatter for some leads." John said with sigh turning the page.

"That's good … smart" Anna nodded walking to the other side of the office. John caught a nervous catch in her voice.

"Is something on your mind tonight?" John asked leaning back in the chair once again.

"Only what's been in there since you left here with Sarah." she said seriously looking at him.

"What's that?" he humored her with a shrug.

"You and me." Anna said with a glimmer in her eye.

"Anna …" John chuckled said shaking his head thinking she was just screwing around. "Come on … this is important." He turned to go back to the map.

"I love you …" Anna continued in a voice that couldn't be emulated for something as simple as a Joke. "You have been my first and only love, and for these last few days I've remembered what kind excitement and adventure you always bring into my life." The young woman said walking closer to John. "And I realized that I can't let you go this time… least not without a fight."

Anna opened her robe revealing Satiny red lingerie. John breathed shallowly and looked as disoriented by it as if it was a bus that hit him full force. Shakily, John stood up and walked to her. She approached him a beat later with a happy smile; she slid her arms around his waist and looked into his eyes.

"Anna …there was a time when I felt the same way about you. There was a time in my life when I would have taken you right here on the desk and then in the morning hit the road and never looked back with you by my side." John stroked her soft hair.

"We still can …" Anna gave him a playful smile.

John looked reluctant to say what he wanted to. "I just don't feel that way anymore. I love Cameron now … more than I've loved anything in my whole life. I went through hell to be with her, and even more so to get her back … I just can't leave her, and never will be able to ever again." John said looking her in the eyes. "Someday you're going to make some man really happy … just not this one." John smiled slowly folding the robe back over her tender body.

"Girls gotta try, right?" Anna sniffled despite her devious smile, kissing his lips.

"I know …" John said stroking her cheek gently. She closed her eyes at the touch for a moment before breaking contact and walking away.

John stood in place for a second letting the childhood emotions die.

"Tibet." Anna called

"What?" John said looking at her.

"Lhasa, Tibet that's where you'll find them." Anna smiled devilishly, returning to old friend mode.

"How did you know that?" John asked

"A magician never reveals her secrets." Anna winked blowing him a kiss before leaving.

* * *

The night was dark and still when John entered Cameron and his room, quietly he closed the door behind him. With a wincing sigh he removed his shirt and Looked in the mirror, seeing numerous small scars and grossest indentions where he had been slashed and shot in his twenty three years of living.

"_A body only a mother could love."_

With a rub to his shoulder he sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled off his shoes and socks. He sat a moment in a tired daze collecting his thoughts before he crawled toward the center of the bed and sank into a cross-legged position. He closed his eyes and gradually slowed his breathing, clearing the events of the night from his mind.

But just as things were started to settle in his head, John's mediation was interrupted by a familiar haunting mechanical chirping tune carrying on the breeze from the room's balcony patio.

The sad warped sound made John feel like he was in a strange dream when he jumped down off the bed and slowly made his way to the glass door which was cracked open. He pulled it gently making sure not to make it squeak.

On the balcony stood a breath taking beauty bathed in the bright moonlight she looked out over the rolling mist with painfully sad eyes. Her long shiny brunet hair was caught in the breeze, her face looked the color of milk in the ethereal light which was only enhanced by the pure white silken night gown she wore that flowing like softly in the wind.

John has to catch his breath at the sight of her "Angel … why aren't you with Jim?" He asked with a swallow.

She didn't answer.

"Cameron … Cameron!" John called but she still didn't answer.

She seemed to be transfixed by the blinding fog clinging to the dark bayou water. She finally turned her head to look at John. Tears stained her beautiful face as her eyes reflected something broken.

"Was she so perfect, so unique that I wasn't worth it?" She asked.

It took him a second to realize that maybe she saw him and Anna in the office. "I didn't do anything. It's you I want." John said sincerely.

"I wish I could believe that." She replied staring back at the water.

"Hey … what the hell is that supposed to mean." John said aggressively grabbing her forearm and turning her to face him. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for you and nowhere I wouldn't go … goddamnit … haven't I proven that already?"

She looked down away from him.

"Hey, look at me!" John grabbed the back of her neck and turned her head to face him.

"I Love You." John didn't flinch.

"Say it like you mean it…"

She touched his stubble in a way that was so familiar to him, yet not in a way he associated with Cameron. But it didn't matter, because John pulled her into him, kissing her passionately. Then in one smooth motion He gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed.

* * *

John was in deep peaceful slumber cradling his naked bed mate in his powerful arms. The Beauty lay next to him tracing the scar on his face gently like a feather. Then she stroked his cheek lovingly, He moved his head into her touch sighing contently.

Tears began to run freely as she removed her hand and reached under the pillow pulling out a knife. A pure soul consuming hatred seethed from her as she loomed topless over him. She held it over his chest several moments just watching him as he smiled in his sleep.

* * *

The next morning John woke alone.

"Angel?" John called but he received no answer.

He smirked thinking that maybe last night was just a dream, an incredibly vivid and religious experiencing dream.

Turning over something caught his eye.

A tattered gold heart shaped locket was laid on the wooden night stand. John picked up the locket and opened it. The same familiar haunting music box tune played from the dream while a small figurine Ballerina popped up and twirled slowly on a mechanical wheel.

John turned it over and read an inscription on the back. He was suddenly stuck in a sudden nightmare, dropping the locket after reading the inscription on the back.

"John, Mr. Ellison and I couldn't find anything, but I brought Breakfast." Cameron came into the room.

She found her Husband fully dressed with his face in his hands.

**TO OUR FIRST BABY GIRL, WE LOVE YOU ALISON.**


	7. In the Air Tonight

_**Alright, this is the final chapter before the epilogue; now this chapter was actually rewritten by me a long time ago and is not a part of the original run. This is a chapter rewritten to fit the now debunked story "1983" which was the prequel to this one. You don't have to read 1983 to get this chapter, but it does bring a storyline to full circle, involving the missing baby from the epilogue of 1983. **_

_**I hope you enjoy it! **_

**In The Air Tonight**

The air plane rumbled and rattled as the harsh frigid winds of the tall and unforgiving Himalayas tossed the grounded plane like it was in the circle of a game of "Bull in the Ring".

James Ellison sat numbly in the pilot's seat, removing headphones. It had had been touch and go for the last couple of hours. He had licenses to fly, but the test never had a situation about flying below radar in a Tibetan snow storm, with John Connor barking orders from the co-pilot's chair.

Now, all he wanted was a stiff drink. Turning, he spotted John getting ready to go, despite the fact that the engines hadn't even had time to cool, nor had a plan been given.

In the middle of the cabin, John Connor looked a thousand miles away, wrapping a thermal layer over his long sleeve T-shirt. Behind him on a couch, Cameron sat still as a statue, giving her husband a worried look and held his leather Jacket as a child would their security blanket in the dark.

Ever since leaving Mamma D's John had been brooding and short of temper. Cameron was hurt as John had made it a point to avoiding her for the last several days, which was no small effort in an airplane. He had taken to locking himself in a private area alone, without lights. With the only sound coming from under the door was that of a music box.

"Are sure you want to do this alone, John?" Cameron asked quietly.

"This is between me and the kidnapper. I don't want you to get in the middle." John said coldly.

"Sarah and …" Cameron paused like it was hard to say what was next. "Derek are my … family too." She protested.

"This isn't a debate, you stay!" John was short and firm, leaving no room for compromise.

The beauty's face twisted into a cold glare that put the weather outside to shame "I'm not your pet machine John. You don't give me orders anymore." Cameron snapped off with an edge to her voice.

The man scoffed rudely at her. "You want to go … then by all means go, but you're sure as hell not coming with me" John tied another thermal shirt around him like a robe.

"Stop telling me what to do." Cameron replied darkly.

John clenched his teeth at his wife, and leveled her with a glare fit for a petulant little girl. "Fine, when this farce is all said and done you can go where ever you want whenever you want. But right here and now you're going to listen to me. Cause like it or not, I'm going to protect you … even if that means pulling your chip to do it!" John growled and for a moment no one could deny he was Sarah Connor's child.

Cameron shot out of her seat, her face was vengeful and taken aback by the threat of her submission. "Do it … I dare you." Cameron challenged walking into his personal space.

The two stared one another down with their faces inches apart. It was colder inside suddenly then outside. It had never happened before but in their moment of dissent, it truly looked as if John and Cameron would come to blows over the issue.

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control Ellison entered the cabin and walked in between the two. "I think it time to separate you." He said gently grabbing Cameron by the arm not unfriendly. "Come on Sweetheart, just give him some space." Ellison said paternally, which came as easy as breathing for the foster father of a seven year old girl back in Southern California. The cyborg gave a glance at Ellison before turning back to her husband and throwing John's jacket in his face with force and walking away.

When John finished dressing, he looked ready for almost anything. He had his leather jacket buttoned up over several layers. A long scarf tied around his head and face like a turban.

With a sigh he walked back into the main cabin after retrieving a sum of munitions from the back of the plane for a plan he was putting together silently. Inside the main cabin of the private jet he found Cameron lounging on the soft, plush, leather couch they had been spooning on for the last two weeks. She was staring blankly out the window at the sheets of snow blanketing the area around them. John had been dreading this moment, half expecting her to be dressed to follow him up the mountain, but much to his relief she still had on her soft turtle neck and Jeans.

Suddenly John felt a twinge of regret for the way he had been handling himself for the last couple days. What he was about to do was dangerous and the last thing he wanted was for his wife to be angry at him before he died.

"I'm heading off." He called out to her, pulling down the thick scarf that was covering his mouth and nose.

Cameron seemed to ignore him continuing her vigil like a flesh and blood statue, not breathing, not flinching, and just sitting dangerously still.

The soldier clenched his jaw in some anger at the cold shoulder, but he let it pass after a moment. Ruefully, he approached her and leaned over, his face inches from the side of hers. She didn't react to him, not even with his warm breath tickling her flawless cheek. John sighed regretfully and nuzzled her smooth skin gently.

"I love you." he kissed her cheek meaningfully and took a deep inhale of her before he stood straight and walked away.

"You're heading out?" Ellison asked coming from the back of the plane, holding two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Yeah …" John replied giving Cameron a glance as he adjusted the messenger bag of supplies he was taking with him.

The older man scoffed at the sight of John with a shake of his head "Good luck." Ellison gave him a nudge on the shoulder.

"Thanks …" He gave the man a nod, and then lowered his voice. "Keep her company will you?" John motioned to Cameron who still didn't show any interest in anything going on around them. Ellison nodded and in a silent answer to the next question lifted one of the mugs in his hands to show John.

"Alright" John nodded in approval before giving one last look to Cameron. When he reached the door he cranked a lever three times with strained grunts. There was a large hiss and the hatch door slid open. Suddenly all in the plane were hit with a cold wind that cut like knifes through clothing and punched the two human's in the lungs.

Recovering John looked back "Keep warm old timer!" he shouted over the wind.

"You to Sarah!" Ellison countered with a glare.

* * *

Two ski clad men skidded through the white surrounding area as the storm finally died down leaving the remains of a cold wind and a silent almost dead surrounding of nothing but ice and blankets of powder that made them feel like they were on a large donut. They were on their way to find out what was out there and why there was a large explosion at one of the checkpoints.

When they skidded to a halt near the area, the two men noticed that there was a large bond fire where the checkpoint cabin used to be. The wreckage sent smoke billowing into the sky that could be seen for miles.

Both Assassins stole a glance at one another at the sheer devastation that rocked the area, not sure where it came from. Each glared at their surroundings. They thought maybe it had been an accident, or a freak result of the snow storm?

As the men sat idle, pondering what the circumstances were, a figure from under the snow burst out behind and leaped at the nearest Skier.

A sludge hammer blow to his temple sent the Assassin to the floor unconscious. The shadow crossed the other's wrists and grabbed the coat collar, exerting pressure to the last man's arteries with his fingers. The Assassin let out a noise and fell to the snow.

With heavy pants that became visible in the cold evening, John Connor began to remove their coats and cold weather gear placing them in his sack.

Looming around him and the scene, the large bond fire illuminated the snow covered ground as dusk began to settle over the rugged terrain. Despite that small fact and the prospect of having to climb a mountain in the dark, John smirked as he looked at the ski tracks left behind by the Assassins.

The plan worked.

* * *

John found the feeling like his lungs were on fire was not the most awesome thing in the world to feel as he quietly followed the narrow ski path. It seemed and felt as if the narrow path through the mountains were causing a wind tunnel that John had to fight through.

"Well this was a good Idea!" John breathed sarcastically as a large gust of wind cut through his layers sending a nerve freezing chill through him that made him call out and shake his head to get a better sense of where he was.

The climb through the narrow pathway took several minutes on foot, fighting through snow drifts and harsh winds that made loud almost deafening sounds in his ears. But in time, though he wasn't sure how much, he finally stopped a moment when reaching a long sloped stone carved stairway that lead to a large building.

The ancient monastery sat alone, embedded into the side of the large mountain, as if carved out of the very stone. The structure towered eight stories with its large tiled roof and black walls commanding a view of the entire mountain range. John took cover a moment catching the glint of metal on the top most level of the ancient fortress.

Seeing no other way to go, John took a deep sigh and steadied himself as he made his way up the long winding staircase toward the seemingly forgotten monastery commanding the mountain region.

It seemed like days of climbing, before John gasped as he dropped breathlessly on the iced staircase. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved or dread the situation when he looked up to see that he was more than halfway there. Not giving his mind time to ponder the implications, he pulled himself up the rest of the way on his hands and knees.

With heavy panting John willed his body to stand at full height when he finally reached the top of the mountain. What he found when he reached his goal was a large wooden double doorway painted red, while in front of the doors two golden lions perched threateningly, flanking the path.

Not giving his surroundings more than a glance, John desperately shuffled his way forward leaning on the one of the doors for support as he breathed fire. Trying to get his body under control he placed his head against the door and closed his eyes, listening to the wind break against the ancient structure.

It hadn't occurred to John till he fell face first onto the warm stone floor of the monastery that the doors had been left open. Letting out a miserable groan at his bad luck, his breath became labored when he began dragging himself forward till he was truly inside. Then with annoyance, John kicked the door shut with a loud slam.

The inside of the monastery was a darkened labyrinth of pillars holding up several levels of the building. Even in the shadows he could see that there were many large open spaces. Above, each level had a large square cut evenly in the center, almost like an expansive office building. There was a blue stream of light softly illuminating the open space.

Reaching a pillar off to the side, the man pulled himself to his feet, trying not to make any noise. Once on his feet, he swayed a little before getting himself back to balance. With steady paces, John quietly walked forward, hearing two familiar voices having a conversation ahead of him under the light of the blue moon in the center. John smiled slightly as a weight lifted off his heart.

"Her name was Tori Martin … I was fourteen, she was seventeen."

"Slut …"

"Wow … That came out of nowhere."

"What? She was Seventeen you were fourteen, you know what I was doing at seventeen?"

"Pregnancy?"

"Shut Up"

"You asked"

"Get on with the story, Derek."

"She was nervous that her boyfriend wouldn't love her if she didn't know how to "Do it" so I let her practice with me."

"So like a practice dummy?"

"Yeah … minus the dummy"

"No, I think it fits."

"Yeah? Who was your first time with and don't tell me it was Kyle …"

"…"

"You're shitting me …"

"What you think just because I was a cheerleader and home coming queen means that I slept with every guy at school?"

"No, I just never pegged you for the good girl in high school."

"Yeah well, I was in love with someone for most of it."

"Boyfriend?"

"Best friend …"

"What was his name?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on, I told you mine."

"And I told you mine."

"No, I guessed yours."

"Fine ..."

"What's his name, Sarah?"

"John"

"You named the kid after the unrequited love?"

"No … I named him … are your ears stopped up, I said drop it!"

Sticking to the shadows, John circled his parents, visibly making out where they were tied to chairs and facing back to back. Sarah's head lounged back against Derek's comfortably.

Despite his want to rush over and free them immediately, he took cautious steps toward them. Like a mouse inching toward cheese, wondering if it was on a trap. The clicking of his boots on the floor caused Sarah to turn, her green eyes watching him with a squint.

With a look around he stepped into the light so that his mother could see him better. "Are you alright?" John asked staying barely visible his voice muffled by the scarf around his mouth.

"What the hell do you care lackey!" Sarah spat defiantly.

Feeling underappreciated after what he had to do to get to this point, John scoffed. "If I didn't care then I wouldn't have bothered to chase your wide ass across the damn planet." John replied bitterly pulling off his head protection.

"… John?" Derek called with his back to him. Though turned, the veteran soldier was more than in tune with John Connor's voice at this age then Sarah.

The look the woman gave her son was one of shock and at the same time longing of some sort. But longing for what? John could guess about a dozen things. But chief amongst them was probably how she wished they weren't only eight years apart now.

The two shared a glance and for a moment in the blue moonlight he saw a porcine doll like teenage girl with an ethereal glow in the light that made her eyes shine. But it passed and she was his mother again, the woman who raised him, and taught him everything he knew.

"I'll have you out in a second." He whispered not able to shake the feeling like someone was watching them.

Then off to his right, John caught the glint of metal and from the corner of his eye he saw a shadow raising a hand. Quickly, John ducked as a knife was flung at him. When the ceremonial weapon stuck into a post he backed away from Derek and Sarah to keep them out of harm's way. From the shadows six ninja dressed killers flanked John, carrying martial art weapons.

* * *

She watched him, examined him as he stood in the dark. The once scrawny and lovably goofy teen Sarah Connor had raised was now in a span of two and a half years a well built and ruggedly handsome man. This fact alone made her hurt that she couldn't have seen him grow out of that awkward stage of life and into the soldier he had become. But what hurt her most is how he hadn't changed a day since she was a teenage girl. The old wounds where still there and something about him still made her weak, made her cling to him like the girl did.

The tense pause ended when a shadowed figure caught her eye when it made its move. Sarah was about to warn John but he was already out of the way when the knife came at him. She watched helplessly as more ninjas came into sight carrying staffs and swords.

At first she struggled against her bonds feeling the same way she had when Sarkissian and John fought. She was living the line between wanting to protect the boy she loved more than life itself, the baby who came into the world squealing and reaching for her. Yet she also wanted to help the young man that rescued her from bullies at a diner in 1983 and held her tight when things got bad at home, who let her live with him without so much as a thought and gave her his apartment when he left.

However as she watched the fight she became almost awe struck at the way John was handling himself. Then a shot of fear struck her as the fight halted a moment and John's face came into view. It was bristling with anger and hatred, his teeth where clenched as the remaining four Assassins circled him. She saw that there was something in him that came out in that moment when he rushed at them in a fury. For next several moments Sarah watched John fight his opponents with powerful and angry hacking blows. He struck them down with a deep hatred wielding a stolen staff with vengeance.

* * *

John spun, building momentum in his weapon before he finally struck the last Ninja with a powerful smack from the staff; the blow turned the last of the killers' head. He watched with clenched teeth as the last of the assassins fell to the floor.

He stood in the middle of the room after the fight was done watching for any of his opponents to get up, they didn't. Breathing heavily, he let the adrenalin drain a little, knowing that if he let it go fully he might faint. But despite being careful with his body control, he felt just a tad bit better.

With a hard blink he turned back to Sarah who was watching in shock. He was taken a little by surprise by it. This hadn't been the first time she had seen him demolish a room before. But maybe his hopes were answered and she had forgotten everything that happened when they were younger.

With a sigh John approached Sarah and Derek. "Been here long?" John sighed tossing the staff to the ground and pulling the Crysknife from its stuck position on a wooden pillar.

"It's been a couple of days." Sarah bit her lip when she answered. She couldn't wait for John to cut the bonds to her hands.

When the action was done, Sarah moved on complete instinct and pulled him into a fierce hug immediately. John let the familiar slender body mold to him and he buried his face into her hair. Through all of the trials he had been through this was what he had been wanting at the light at the end of the tunnel. John wanted to feel his safety net, his security blanket, and his home. He wanted to simply hug his mother again after all these years. Slowly they broke apart and looked into each other's faces.

"Jesus John what happened?" Sarah gasped taking his face in her hands examining the fresh scar across his eye

John flinched away from her touching and took a hold of her hands "It's a long story." He answered giving them a quick kiss, before breaking away from her and cutting Derek loose.

"Thanks." Derek grunted standing slowly, stretching his legs with a relieved grunt.

"Good lord, you smell." John winced.

A smile formed on the bearded Veteran's face "Miss me did you?" Derek chuckled, giving John a quick "man hug". The younger man smiled at the comment patting him on the shoulder.

Both turned to Sarah.

John suddenly felt tired "What are you wearing?" He groaned with a tired and disbelieving sigh.

While Derek had on a gray T-shirt and faded blue jeans, Sarah looked like she was about to go out on the town. Her now long golden hair was flowing in waves down her back and over her shoulders, while she had on a black silk gown and pumps.

"Hey, this wasn't my doing!" Sarah said defensively at the strange looks she was getting.

"No, but I know who it was." John said darkly wondering away, rubbing his stubble thoughtfully. However he wasn't so far gone he didn't stop to smack Derek back into reality as he stared at Sarah in deep amazement at her rarely seen feminine beauty.

Just as John and Derek traded glares there was a loud rush of sound and torch lights lit the dark room three columns at a time. From the shadows a skull headed man in a ritualistic clock appeared clapping as if he had watched the performance of the century.

Frustration and deep annoyance wrinkled John's brow and in a split second of rage, the soldier sprang from his spot. It caught the skulled headed man by surprise at how quick John reached him, with a swift and vicious movement John snatched the skull head piece off the man's head and judo flung him back into a pillar off in a dark spot in the room of flickering firelight.

John observed the head piece with a bitter shake of his head before tossing it away like a piece of garbage. "I see the cave-in at the prison wasn't fatale, huh _Goodwin?_!" He asked almost smugly.

The figure got to his feet slowly and after making a painful gasp, limped into the light. "I'm impressed General. How long did you know?" Robert Goodwin laughed proudly.

Sarah made a surprised and terrified noise and absently took several steps back at his reveal, quietly shrinking behind John in shame at the sight of the man.

John crossed his arms with a glare of deep loathing "Cameron and I've known from the beginning. How could you know that Mom and Derek where kidnapped the same night as Kate." He replied with an irritated smugness, as if talking to a small child.

"Unless I planned it." Goodwin finished.

"Also there was no way you could have known Derek was my uncle unless you interrogated him first." John sighed.

"I vouch" Derek rubbed his neck.

"Then there was Abbud's knife. It was just like the one in the kidnapper's picture." John continued. From the shadows Abbud appeared. "Then your lackey wrangler over here, always picky about you going first. That was until the Fortress where he let me and Cameron enter first, because he knew there was danger." John explained with an angry and tired voice.

"I'm deeply impressed. Though how did you find there hiding places?" Goodwin pointed to Derek.

"Your mercenary, you rat bastard" John tossed the combat knife the Red helmeted stranger had left behind in New Orleans at Goodwin's feet. "The T-800 and the clues in New Orleans?" John demanded.

"Of her real name I haven't the slightest, but she preferred to be called the _**Red Mask**_." Goodwin answered

John shook his head. "That's impossible … the only Red Mask was Savannah Weaver and she's been dead for years, I was there when it happened. No one knows how to use that helmet and her weapons ... but a very few." The man stopped and found himself thinking of a locket music box in his inner leather jacket pocket.

He ignored the little chuckle Goodwin gave observing John, as a wave of emotion and memories flooded his mind, drawing everyone's stare as his eye flicked from side to side as if he was watching a film reel of the past, slide across his face.

"No …" he shook his head under his breath. "No, she's dead …" He repeated though it was clear he was no longer talking about Savannah Weaver. "I was there, I saw her die." He whispered quietly.

Good win cleared his throat for attention. "If you know her name, by all means John, share with the class." There was a haughty arrogance oozing from his stiff accent.

The soldier sneered at the overdressed man, and fixed him with a chilled look of an unspoken deadly promise. There was a pause in the room, as everyone waited on what would happen next. But it all deflated when John sighed with an air of inconvenience.

"Well…" He sighed and turned. "You guys ready to go?" John asked.

Derek blinked with surprise and interest at his nephew and surrogate son, and then bluntly looked to Sarah who still was praying to go unnoticed. "I guess so." Derek shrugged. "But it was just getting good." He added with a growing disinterest.

John gave his uncle a commiserating nod, unhooking the clasp on the messenger bag's flap and began handing Derek and Sarah the coats taken off of the Ski Assassins.

Robert Goodwin's body guard suddenly walked out of the shadows. "You were not given permission to be dismissed!" Abbud announced in outrage, advancing on the family angrily.

With a snort, the soldier dug out another piece of clothing. "Funny, I don't remember asking for any." John declared dismissively, fitting a beanie on Sarah's head almost playfully to comfort her.

The deep piercing eyes of the Assassin grew as if John had insulted his very existence. "Your insolence will be punished!" Abbud halted and reached back, throwing a fist at John.

SNAP!

The tall and muscular man caught Abbud's fist. The body guard growled in pain as the sound of crackling bones popped their echoes into the quiet when John began crushing his fist. One look into haunted green eyes and the killer knew the minute he threw Cameron down those steps in Texas was the moment he had bought the wrath of her husband and now it was time to see what it was he purchased.

"And that's strike three!" John said with an angry growled voice that made it sound like he was about to explode all over him. Then in one smooth motion, John lifted him over his head and threw the killer as hard as he could. The man hit his head three times on the stone floor, before skidding to a halt in front of Goodwin's feet.

John leveled Goodwin with a look that could peel the skin off his face. It was no mistake he had tossed Abbud his way, it was meant as a warning. There was a true moment when John felt the explosion in his chest to storm over and ring the handsome older gentlemen's neck. He wasn't just remembering all the things he had put the Connor's through in the past and now, He remembered the future as well.

John never counted himself lucky that he had been largely ignored by the man in the future. Goodwin had always been Reese Connor's enemy more than John's. During the disaster at Palmdale, Reese had lead a make or break assault at Skynet lines Commanded by Goodwin, trying to rescue John, Alison, Derek, and Kyle who were cut off and surrounded. During the high water mark of the heavy fighting the youth was wounded multiple times, including the loss of his leg. Goodwin seeing his opportunity while holding the dying captain for ransom had Reese's severed leg tampered with. By the time Lauren Fields realized what had been done when she reattached his leg, it was too late. Reese Connor survived his wounds physically, but his leg forever tortured him, turning the hero to pain killers. Thus the once harolded war hero known as Sarah Connor's gallant knight was now a pained, angry, brooding, addict who was nothing but a shadow of who he once was. Reese grew to hate Sarah for her actions to get him back. For his life Sarah married Goodwin, turning on the resistance and her children. John had understood her choice, Sarah Connor would do anything to save her children. But a brooding and angry Reese driven to aggression called her a traitor and wanted her head. In the end her marriage was short lived when he was killed in the ruins of old Pescadero. But the incident haunted the family till Reese resigned commission only to be slayed fighting off the machines trying to defending Alison, something that was supposed to be John's job.

John had and never will forgive Robert Goodwin for what he had done in the future to his family and given the opportunity this younger version would do in a heartbeat.

He felt someone touch his arm gently. He followed it to his mother who hadn't said two words since Goodwin appeared. But now she looked into his eyes and disarmed the murderer's intent in his soul. Sarah Connor was a warrior woman, dangerous and hard as a battle chassis. But despite all those things, the death of anyone was one thing she could never quite bring herself to reconcile with. Sarah had killed only one person in her entire life and even then John wasn't sure if she had actually done it at that.

"Okay … alright." He reassured her quietly, taking a deep breath he held. Sarah gave her son the slightest of nods and stroked his leather clad arm gently. Blinking hard he turned to Derek who was fixing his coat. When he caught his nephews stare, John motioned his head.

Sarah trailed John closely as the three started walking toward the grand double doors.

With a flash of something in his eyes, Goodwin leapt over Abbud's body and at the beautiful woman. "Sarah, Please, wait!" he took Sarah's hand and pulled her away from John and Derek leading her to a secluded area, of the illusion that the two future enemy officers would give them privacy. Derek moved to engage, but John held him back with an arm, with a face that told him that Sarah didn't need him for this.

"Please I…I didn't mean any harm." Goodwin tried to explain to Sarah in a voice that John and Derek could automatically tell there was something behind it. But, if there was something off about the situation then Sarah didn't seem to notice, watching him meekly, politely trying to return to her family. But he would let her go.

"You sure had one hell of a way of showing it!" John said glaring at him. "Now let her go, and go find a hole to die in, you son of bitch!" He commanded.

"All I wanted to do is ensure that Kate will be looked after by a worthy man who passed my trials." He said removing the beanie off Sarah's head.

"So all this crap was a test to see if I was worthy to marry Kate … a girl I haven't seen in like fifteen years." John pointed out. "Yeah … Cause that makes sense." John scoffed sarcastically.

"The truth is … I Just want what you want." He ignored John as he began to rub a thumb on her cheek bone. Something in Sarah's eyes was hanging on every word the man was saying, which was starting to look and feel familiar to John in a bad way. "We won't be alive forever, my line of business, my life, it isn't safe for Kate." He explained. "When I go, who will protect her from the enemies I've made?" he asked Sarah charismatically. "John passed my trials, all of them, flawlessly. Your son, your blood, is what I trust to protect mine." He cupped the golden haired woman's cheek.

"Not gonna happen." John replied.

Goodwin turned toward John coldly. "You made a vow!" he chastised.

"I made nothing and I claim nothing … Kate makes up her own mind!" When the soldier felt his uncle on edge John began reaching for his holster "Now, I'm not gonna tell you again … let her go!" he warned darkly.

But Goodwin ignored them, his hands tracing and stroking Sarah's face. "You understand, don't you, Sarah?" It was that poisonous voice that John hated to hear. He could never understand what his mother's draw to the man was. He knew firsthand the history of the two, because he had been there for their first meeting in 1983. Even then he had always drawn her toward him. John had been there when his grandmother had tried to arrange a marriage between them, to which John blew to shambles by taking risk with the timeline. But both times this Sarah Connor had dealings with this man; she had been a girl, naïve, trusting to certain degrees. John knew his mother, Knew that the woman before him knew better than swim with the shark.

"I do …" Her voice became strangely absent when she spoke. "I understand, completely." She turned her face into his hands acceptingly.

"What the …" Derek stiffened at the sight of the eighteenth century romance novel playing in front of them.

John removed his arm that was blocking his uncle. "He's all yours." He said with a hard squint trying to piece what the hell was going on.

CRACK!

It didn't take Derek long to get to the couple, when Goodwin fell on the floor, the ex-officer spat on the man. Goodwin looked out of it, as he face planted on the floor.

Suddenly, completely out of nowhere Sarah reached back and slammed her fist into Derek's cheek in outrage. The blow knocked her husband on his ass and left him seeing stars.

John took a defensive stance when Sarah took off to the fallen terrorist. She kneeled and tenderly sat Goodwin up, cradling him in her arms like a lover. Goodwin gave her a concussed smile, reaching up to slowly rub his thumb over her upper lip.

However in a sobering look that played across Sarah's beautiful features, she let out a frightened yet tender gasp, quickly backing away from him. She left him slumped as if he had violated something sacred inside her.

Derek who had been bleeding on the floor, stood up with John's help and cautiously walked toward Sarah who began to shake, her face grew thin and worried as she began to search around desperately as if she had lost something as if she jumped completely out of the situation and into something completely new.

Derek cautiously approached her as she babbled mindlessly. "Sarah, are you alright?" he asked looking into confused and scared eyes.

"… Reese?" Sarah called around as if someone had wondered away and she was lost in the dark.

"I'm right here." Derek searched her eyes grasping her shoulders to steady her.

The woman shook her head at his answer and suddenly grasped his shirt. "No, no, no, Derek, Derek, she took the baby, Derek!" She shook him. Derek Reese looked as if someone had punched him in the gut and his face fell hard. Suddenly, the tired looking man knew what Sarah was talking about, and it was killing him.

"Sarah …" Derek could hardly speak.

The golden haired woman shook her husband. "She took him, Derek, Reese, it took Reese … the baby's gone!" her eyes where in helpless hysterical tears. "It took our boy!" She sobbed. "It took my baby!" She screamed.

"What …" John started.

Sarah broke in. "J … John was dying, Derek … John was dying and I … I had to save him." She sounded as if she was apologizing for something. Derek turned to John with a frown, having no clue what was going on.

Quickly, the hysterical woman turned her husband's face back so he could look at her. "Twenty six years Derek, she told me in twenty six years she wanted something … but I didn't care!" She sobbed and suddenly she turned to a pained John. "Because I thought I would have you." The look Sarah gave her child broke his heart. She turned back to Derek eyes covered in tears. "I was sixteen, stupid, I … I didn't think. I thought John would stay forever." Sarah babbled through sudden sobs.

"The hell?" Derek looked to John wondering just how the hell Sarah's emotions went from zero to sixty in three seconds flat.

Something clicked on in the scruffy younger man's brain and without hesitation he walked forward and gently took his mother by her waist and turned her to face him.

"Why'd you leave me … after all I gave up for you, back then?" She asked so brokenly it physically hurt him to hear her.

Pushing through the tightness in his chest, John took control. "Mom … Mom look at me!" he commanded over her babbling. When she tried to break free, John grabbed her head and held it in place catching her eyes. Sarah went quiet as if being transfixed by John.

"I loved you more than I had anyone in my entire life and you left me … left me so now she took my child, she took my child, John." Sarah looked broken.

"What the hell is she going on about?" His uncle was confused and distraught by all he was hearing. John quietly shushed his mother, ignoring his uncle while examining her face gently with a hardened frown and searching eyes.

When he was done, it looked like his anger could hardly be contained. "Derek …" John called shortly releasing Sarah and handed her into Derek's arms.

He held her tightly, as she clung to him. "John, what the hell is going on?" Derek growled, watching his nephew coldly walk away. Goodwin to his credit tried to look brave though still dazed when the shadow of John Connor loomed over him.

"Give me your hands … Give me your hands!" John began grappling with the concussed terrorist who struggled like a small child trying to get out of John's grip. "GIVE ME YOUR HANDS!" John roared, pulling on his wrists ruthlessly. The struggle was over when the larger man pinned the slender one to the floor with his boot, arms almost pulled out of his sockets.

From the first look at his palms, John saw that they were normal. But a closer look showed the lines in his palms had the slightest tint of blue powder caked in the crevasses and creases of his hands.

"You dirty bastard!" John breathed furiously seeing the evidence of what he suspected was the case.

"John, answer me Dammit!" Derek finally yelled. Frustration played across his normally calm and cool persona in such situations, but as he heard Sarah quietly sob uncontrollably Derek couldn't help but feel a strong sense of protectiveness and the need to make things right.

With disgust John tossed down Goodwin's arms and sent a kick into his ribs, walking further into the monastery "Azulnocturna" John called to Derek distractedly.

He kicking Abbud over on his back and knelt next to him, ripping his face coverings off. The Body guards face proved to be a timeless unwrinkled set of features on to a stony bone structure. He was shaved of all hair and was covered top skull to thick neck in blue powdered coding. One whiff made John's vision blur, he sniffed into his wrist and turned his head.

"It's a hallucinogen that warps your senses, leaving your mind open to suggestions. When you take too much it can make you relive some of your most painful memories. It was how Goodwin can control Mom like his own person doll." John explained, noticing olive oil complexioned finger streaks on Abbud's cheek.

Years on battlefields and ranging's had taught John Connor how to use everything a body possesses to find enemies and or to protect himself. Now two years after the fact John still used the awareness in his life. He might not be able to see her, but John could smell the sweet and expensive top of the line perfume she wore.

"Kate …" John growled in acknowledgement to a shadow standing near a pillar. She was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties with long, soft, flowing red hair. Her skin was as smooth and colorful as waxed ivory. The slender young woman was dressed elegantly in an embroidered silk blouse and satin business skirt. A necklace of rare pearls was set around her neck like a chocker.

"John." Kate replied with guilt ridden Blue eyes the color of water. "It's been a long time." Her voice wasn't accented like her father, but there was a polish and finesse to her speech that was as smooth as nylon.

The rugged young man glared at her. "Not long enough." He replied coldly. He didn't treat her as he had her father, but none the less did he lay her with blame for the situation.

She could plainly see it in his eyes. "I didn't know he would go this far." She defended herself. With clicking strides her long legs made it to Derek and Sarah in a short trip. Derek immediately pulled Sarah behind him defensively at her approach.

"Please" She pleaded gently with the eldest Reese. It surprised him at her tone, almost as if she was out of character to what he believed she would be like. "It's okay … I'm a doctor." The gentle woman said calmly showing Derek her palms, to prove she had no intensions of finishing Sarah off. Turning to John, his nephew nodded, clearing Kate.

Reluctantly Derek stepped away from his wife. With a gentle touch, Kate began examining Sarah, almost as if she was her own mother. Watching her work, John was sure that Kate probably heard a million times how his mother, would be hers one day. He was also pretty sure it wouldn't have been long before John was sent out to the streets if they had married like he was planning for.

"There's an antidote, right?" Derek asked as Kate tested Sarah.

"No, only detox." Kate answered quietly.

Not convinced of her intentions, the soldier motioned to Goodwin, bent over on the floor. "Why the hell would he do this?" Derek asked angrily as he watched Sarah cry haunted, silent tears.

"Cause he's a sick and twisted son of a bitch, that's why." John growled making his way back to them.

The red haired woman ignored them, sighing in relief. "She wasn't overdosed … you saved her life by separating them." Kate addressed Derek with a pat to his shoulder.

"Is she safe to travel?" John hardly made it sound like a question when he embraced Sarah protectively.

The young doctor was taken aback by her former betrothed's aggressiveness. "You want to leave … now?" Kate asked with surprise, looking out at the blue moonlight still glowing brightly.

"We're not spending another minute here." John replied sweeping Sarah off her feet and into his arms. She trembled weakly, burying the side of her face into his chest.

Kate bit her lip in protest, but finally relented. "Alright, I'll get the snow tracker ready." She turned motioning them to follow.

When the group began to move, John felt a hand reach for his holster and draw his pistol with a flick of leather. Whirling he found Derek with his pistol in hand advancing on Goodwin, who was dragging himself to a column.

"Derek!" John called commandingly, but he was ignored.

The bearded soldier took John's pistol and whipped Goodwin in the face, spurting an explosion of blood. Coughing, the older man tried to shield himself pathetically from the barrel of the gun trained on him, from dead indifferent eyes of a man with death on his mind.

"Derek … Derek!" He tried to get his uncles attention, but he stood like a statue over the man ready to pull the trigger.

"He tried to kill her, John. He wanted her, and when he couldn't have her he tried to make sure no one did!" Derek's voice was quiet and reserve, giving only a tight growl at the end.

"I know …"

The man shook his head in disgust. "You were there in the future, he's a Gray, John, doesn't matter if he isn't right now, you'd know who he would've sided with after Judgment Day."

"Derek, Mom wouldn't want you to murder someone … it's not you … not anymore." John said in a soft consoling voice.

His uncle paused, his breath trembled as his hand shook with adrenaline and hatred. "You don't remember what he did to Reese's leg during Palmdale? The way he drained the life out of him." The story made John's blood cold and for a moment he couldn't find a reason to stop Derek.

"Derek" Sarah's voice was weak and still trembling.

Gently, John lowered her to the floor when she motioned him too. She wasn't herself yet, but somewhere in there his mother was aware enough to know that Derek was in bad place. Her steps were shaky, but she managed to find Derek stepping in front of him.

"Leave him …" She whispered through a whisper.

Derek shook his head at his wife. "You don't know what he did, what he will do … we can't let him get away." He tried to refocus on his prey.

"Derek, leave the future in the past …" She lowered his gun hand, then took his face in her hands. "Take me home, Derek …" She pulled his head down and placed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "Let's go home." She whispered tiredly.

John watched them and it surprised him how short they've been married and yet how long it seemed they've know each other. The young man wasn't sure he had ever seen his mother be more connected to Derek than any other men she had on and off again when he was growing up. He knew something had happened to them while he and Cameron were away, something that brought them very close to each other. But he wasn't sure what.

Derek Reese breathed tiredly out of his nose and held his wife close. "Come on ... I'm taking you home." He promised quietly.

* * *

"I'm sorry John!"

Kate stood on a snow and wind swept Plato where the Zirea Corp. plane sat in idle. She was shivering through the harsh mountain weather that blew strands of her hair in her face.

The tall young man just glared at her "Yeah, I'm sure you are!" John never lightened up on her despite helping him get Sarah down the mountain.

Despite her admissions she didn't seem all that guilty about many things "I didn't know he would go this far!" Kate called over the wind .

"You know him better than anyone, how could you not know?!" John said angrily.

Kate paused and pushed her locks of snow blown hair out of her face "Because … maybe I didn't want to believe my father could be like this!" She said wistfully.

There was no response but a frustrated chuckle. "And that's the trick isn't it." John scoffed. "You see what you want to see, ignore everything else right?" he asked Kate. "What is it? "He cheats on my mom with a brained washed young woman who he rapes in front of her, but it's okay because he buys me expensive things?" is that what it is Kate?" John mocked angrily.

There was a guilty anger to her, not liking what she heard she turned it around. "You're a fine one to talk, John. I'm not the only one turning a blind eye to a monster I sleep with" she shot back.

Green eyes narrowed. "Say what now?" he leaned in closer.

Kate put on airs "Isn't it true that you're married … one of _**them**_?!" Kate asked with a hint of disgust at the information, like she heard John ate an earth worm.

"Who told you that?" John replied suspiciously.

"I have my sources." She answered with glare.

John snorted at her superior attitude and looked off to the side for a moment "Even if I did marry a cyborg, after what you and your psychopath father have put my parents and I through …" John paused and looked her straight in the eye. "How the can you look me in the eye and tell me that I made the wrong choice?" Kate looked down and at her boots.

John sniffed disdainfully at her and walked up the steps to the plane.

She watched him regretfully, before taking a deep breath. "Wait!" Kate called. John turned to look at her.

"My father wasn't lying about the Red Mask … she's out there, and she wants you dead!" Kate said worriedly.

"She can take a number!" He hid his worry behind a poker face.

"She reengineered that metal monster by hand …" Kate stated in a warning.

"I'll keep it in mind!" John replied back entering the plane.

When the plane took off from the runway and disappeared into the blanketed white sky, Kate crossed her arms and watched with a sad longing glare.

_**"**__**How much does he know?" **_

"I'm not sure." Kate replied. She heard the sound of crunching snow as the red helmeted figure began to walk away.

"What did you Promise Daddy in exchange for setting up this little game?" Kate asked.

_**"**__**I'd give him Sarah Connor." **_The figure answered in the same cold mechanical voice.

"Then you let them take her?" Kate pursued angrily.

_**"**__**I gave your father Sarah tied with a bow. It was your father's fault he couldn't hold onto her."**_The figure turned to Kate pointing its finger at her in a scolding manner.

"Then what was the point!" She responded furiously snatching the Red Masks Leather Motorcycle Jacket and turned it.

As if in slow motion there was a barely a second that the young woman could react, Kate gasped in pain and shock. She looked down to find the vicious Combat Knife stuck deeply in her belly. With a whimper her eyes softened looking into tinted eye slits on the helmet.

_**"**__**I needed the lay of the land, so I can start moving the pieces."**_

* * *

The cabin of the air plane was quiet, beyond the hum of the engines and the light breathing. Every so often the crackle of a page in a book turned, or the low conversation of flight patterns echoed from the cockpit.

John Connor sat on a couch and quietly read "The Wizard of Oz" the Spanish translation. Across from him on an opposite couch, Derek lay flat on his back with Sarah snuggled into his chest. Both slept peacefully undisturbed from anything. John had laid his well-worn leather jacket on Sarah like a blanket to keep her warm, just like he used to when she was a girl.

He had watched her for more than a little bit, seeing the sweet girl's face, that use to be so trusting and loved so easily. But other times she was his mother, a hard as nails lioness that he had known his entire life.

Rather than ponder how he saw her now he went back to the book, trying not to remember all that had happened in 1983. However, when Dorothy met the Tin Man, Cameron found her way from the cockpit into the room.

"How is Sarah?" Cameron asked quietly. John gave a quiet snort at Cameron's obvious ignoring of Derek's health.

"The Toxin has worn off." He answered watching Cameron walk over and gently place her hand on Sarah's forehead like she was taking her temperature. He smiled knowing that having the cyborg around was like having hospital equipment.

When she was done she turned back to her husband and watched him carefully, planning how she was going to go about her next move. "How did you resist the drug when Sarah couldn't?" Cameron asked sitting on the couch next to him carefully.

"In the future … Reese taught me how to resist it and build immunity to its properties." There was a lump in his throat as he broke the taboo on the name, it being thrown around so freely the other day.

He cleared his throat and found Cameron was keeping her distance from him, while usually she would sit on his lap or at least share his oxygen. He smiled inquisitively at her staring at the leather cushion between them.

"Something the matter?" He asked.

Cameron tilted her head and got one of her child like innocent looks she had when she was unsure about something. "I thought you were mad at me … I'm only giving you space." She replied.

There was something about the way she explained it to him that made him laugh. "Angel …" He continued to chuckle sympathetically when she looked even more lost than before. Shaking his head he scooted down to her and placed her in his lap. She sat stiffly when he buried his head in her soft neck and kissed her.

"We're married, married couples fight …" He explained into her skin.

The cyborg tightened her cheek in thought. "We never have." She replied looking down at his head.

"We have now, probably will again." He wrapped his arms around her stomach and placed his head on her shoulder thoughtfully.

"I don't like it." Her reply sort of hurt John and made him feel guilty.

"I don't either, but it's going to happen … we can't agree on everything." He shrugged.

The girl gave a human sigh. "Is it a bad sign for our relationship?" Cameron asked. John frowned at the uncertainty in his new bride's voice.

He smiled however. "Cam, look over at Mom and Derek." He requested. She did as she was told watching the two hold each other.

"Yes?"

"You wanna know what they're last conversation was?" He asked.

"No …" She said.

John opened his mouth, then laughed with a shake of his head and groaned. "Derek compared mom to a Jackass, because it has a big mouthed, stubborn animal with off angled teeth and a wide ass that when smacked, you get kicked." John laughed when Cameron widened her eyes at the statement. "So mom countered saying that he was talking piece of cow shit." He finished. "Now look at them. They're acting like it never happened." He stoked Cameron's ringlets.

She looked passive as if deep in thought. He let her live in her own mind for a moment. He wasn't aware that her mind was focused on the music box locket that was still in his inner coat pocket.

"John" She turned to look at him. Her voice had something in it that John couldn't quiet place.

"Yeah"

"Do you hate me?" Cameron asked seriously.

His breath caught in throat at the shock of her question. "Why would you even ask me that?!" He asked back almost angrily at her.

Cameron almost sounded timid as she spoke. "Because … you went through so much to save me, in the future and in 1983. Since then you're relationship with Sarah has never been the same and many people have been hurt or died because of me. So I was just wondering if you think I wasn't worth the sorrow you bought by coming after me." Cameron said calmly, but her eyes watered.

There was never hesitation in his eyes when he touched her face. "Angel, you are always worth it, Always." John's voice was aggressive and fierce, almost insulted that there was ever a question.

When the beauty saw the passion and heard the fire in her husband's voice, the little doubt she had been feeling was over for good. Feeling something she couldn't explain she leaned in and for the first time in their relationship Cameron was the one who made the first move. She kissed him with passion and love that Skynet could never program.

They made a little smack when they broke apart.

"Remember what I said to you at the Cathedral?" John smiled

"Till death do us part … and then some." Cameron smiled back lovingly.

"YOU'RE MARRIED!" Sarah shot up from the couch.

"Oh shit."

Cameron made another first in their marriage.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

_**There's an Epilogue to this but I'm holding off just because this was a long one. So I'm not sure when to post it … probably sometime soon. **_

_**So I wanted to have a connection to 1983 because this was intended when written two years ago to drop the reader into something that you would want to find out about. **_

_**Reese Connor is going to continue to be important in the sequels to come. **_

_**So this story was written two years ago … also as you have seen there is a lot of things used in my other stories that you might recognize in this one, themes and such. Well, reverse that. Because this was one of the first fan fictions I ever wrote, back when the series was still on. Many of my other stories take off this one. **_

_**Hope you enjoy this story, cause it was my first. **_

_**Epilogue coming! **_


	8. Epilogue: Grave Digger

**Epilogue**

_**Grave Digger**_

"_It killed me"_

"_It killed me in cold blood" _

"_For lying__**"**_

"_I'm alive again, and I really don't care how or why"_

"_But I was never__** AVENGED. **__My __**Husband**__ never avenged me.__**" **_

"_But that's all about to change."_

"_We'll meet again, lover and when we do"_

"_Mark my words __**John Connor**__; You'll kill that metal bitch. The one you sleep with, dream about … the one living my life with you, the one who killed me._

"_I'll make you avenge me."_

"_Even if I have to __**kill**__** you** to do it." _


End file.
